Petrified Timeline
by Sunflare Glaze
Summary: After the gruesome fight with Lavos, an unknown force lies in the wings to do more damage than destroying one little planet.
1. Chapter 1: The End is Just the Beginning

**PETRIFIED TIMELINE**

**Chapter One:**

**The End is Just the Beginning**

_To Daryl Falchion  
Thank you for giving me inspiration to write._

There are always heroes, friends, lovers, and villains for a story. The story begins, the plot thickens, and in the end, happiness. Too bad reality is harder for the faint of heart. No one could believe a creature that blew up the entire planet can lose to seven warriors without any casualties.

It begins, at the End of Time. The seven heroes, holding faith in their magic, within themselves, and each other. Three of the heroes used the bucket of time to get to the year 1999 AD. Three more used the Epoch to the same year, and the lone hero, Janus, took on the Black Omen solo in 1999 AD to get to Lavos after destroying his mother. It wasn't a choice given to the heroes, they would've preferred taking down the Omen in Lavos' earlier stage in 12000 BC, but they knew they would be at half of their full potential.

The fight began, Lavos using space and time to his advantage to force the heroes to experience pass fights. Far too easy, but Lavos was just having fun before he destroyed the planet. The real fight began when Janus teleported into the epic battle and told everyone to dive for cover. The Black Omen was coming down and the massive aircraft was going to leave a nasty wound on Lavos.

The Omen, with the mass of metal shards began cracking and harming the shell of Destroyer of Planets. After the fortress wounded Lavos, the deadly alien became enraged. The heroes went into a deadly formation called Last Destiny. Glenn and Marle shot with all their might at each other water attacks, while Crono pumped as much lightning into the line of water, causing the lightning to intensify. Together, Janus and Robo gathered the power from the water/lightning attack in a shadow ball, causing the power to swell. As soon as the shadow ball was tangible, Ayla grasped the ball and threw it at Lavos. Lucca used her fire magic to force the ball faster, as a battering ram.

The attack hit its mark, but Lavos was even more enraged. The earth began to shake and Lucca and Marle fell. Crono and Glenn jumped together to get as far from the coming blast. Robo grabbed Ayla and used his Uzzi Punch on Lavos. The attack was not to harm the beast, only to push Robo and Ayla far away. Janus just stood his ground and grinned as he had enough time to cast his Magic Wall defense spell. The Destruction Rains from the Heavens destroyed the battlefield and what was left of Lavos' shell.

Crono looked around helplessly. He smiled brightly when he saw Robo through the cloud of dust. The robot was dinged up, but not too harmed. In his arms Ayla jumped out grinning just as widely as Crono, completely unharmed, thanks to her friend using his metal body as a shield. The smiles ended when a panicked voice yelled, "MAGUS! PRINCESS! LUCCA! Where art thou! Call back to me!" It was Glenn.

The trio ran, and found their frog friend a little worn out, but still yelling. "Princess Nadia! Lucca! Magus…" the screams ended when a shadow appeared. Janus was kneeling, which seemed fitting since he stood up to Lavos' most deadly attack. But when the dust cleared, a dead Marle was at Crono's feet. Crono felt his knees give way under the pressure of guilt and grief. On his knees, he scooped up Marle and embraced her tightly.

"Magus, thee art truly a coward! How could thee just watch thy friends die without lifting a finger?" yelled Glenn as he pointed blame at his rival.

But as the rest of the field cleared and Janus came into view, Glenn's arm fell along with his jaw. Janus was holding Lucca in his arms, sobbing and keeping his back to his friends to prevent the sight of his own tears. No one knew how dearly Janus loved Lucca, with her superior intellect and stronger will that challenged his own. He wasn't prepared for the grand magic that she showed him… love.

"The battle has just begun," pointed out Robo as he stared at a hole in the middle of Lavos' shell.

"Damn it, we didn't kill it! Come, let's get to the bottom of this," said Janus kissing Lucca on the forehead and softly laying her down on the ground.

With equal passion and rage in his eyes, Crono also kissed Marle good-bye before entering the entrance to Hell. The shell, for it was indeed a shell as the heroes came to realize, was deep and long. It was dark and none wanted to speak, for stealth was their last ally. Even though the loudest of the group, (Robo's huge metallic body) was keeping his pace as quietly as Janus who hovered above the ground, the sound of each heart beat could be heard. Was it theirs they were hearing? Or was it the heart of Lavos? Again, no one wanted to disturb the silence.

As Ayla rounded the last bend she duck back to the group. She tried to speak as softly as humanly possible but loud enough to be heard.

"Big creature, Lavos. Tied up to things, me unsure. As big as entrance to volcano. A few of," Ayla patted the nearest stalagmite, "these for cover, not many. No surprise. Have to attack head on."

The group slowly grabbed and checked their weapons. The heroes began moving until Janus hushed them back. "To go to this demon without a plan is suicide; I learned that first hand and so have you Crono."

Crono looked over his shoulder and nodded, for indeed he almost died by Lavos' hand or more specifically Lavo's breath weapon. Glenn slowly gathered the group in a huddle. "So grand wizard, does thee have a plan?"

Janus placed his chin in his palm. How the mage wanted Lucca and Marle with them to do another Last Destiny. That attack would at lease wound the creature. It was moot to continue down that path of what ifs.

"The first onslaught needs to be devastating. After that we need to attack with everything we got," Janus paused, thinking of the best scenario, "Glenn, Crono, you both need to attack together with your blades, we need an opening. Use that Leaping Confusion technique you were working on."

"Nay, it's not perfected."

"No time like the present. Together, your swords will wound him if he has any physical or magical barrier up, thanks to Rainbow and Masamune. Now as soon as their done you and I Robo will have to attack with our Shadow magic to soften him up. Ayla, you must kick hard with that Triple Kick of yours."

"No sweat."

As grim as it was, each of the Heroes of Time looked and smiled at each other. This is what is was all about. Their sweat, their tears, their love, and their friendship. All their training and battles were all for this point, this final conclusion.

Janus placed his back to the entrance and started counting. At three he pointed to the swordsmen to rush, and then he started counting to twenty, when their attack would end. Indeed, Lavos seemed intimidating, but Janus' plan had another advantage. If you charge with all your heart, you don't have time to be afraid, even to a god.

Crono jumped onto Lavos' chest and started slicing and dicing in a circle as Glenn continuously leaped up and down in the middle of Crono's spin. After five leaps and five rotations, Glenn jumped to the left and Crono jumped to the right and both of them sliced with all their might. Just as quickly, the two swordsmen jumped off Lavos. Lavos didn't have any time to consider the event, and when the attack ended he had no idea who to strike dead.

The confusion was exactly what Janus wanted. At twenty, both the wizard and robot threw a beam of Shadow, exactly at the creature's chest, right where Glenn repeatedly hit it with his sword. After the assault, Janus put up another Magic Wall, and Robo dove out of the way.

Lavos saw his first target, a very confident, blue haired man. The beast opened his palms and a cruel attack of shadow started beating against Janus shield, easily bringing it down and doing some damage to the mage. The wizard fell to his knees, hurt but able to continue. More importantly, Ayla needed something to jump off to, to close the distance and let her tech fly. Might as well be the kneeling wizard.

Ayla jumped back, following through with the plan, even the added part that Janus would be her shield. She just didn't imagine that the strong man being beaten so easily by magic. Janus glanced over his shoulder then nodded. Ayla charged, choking back her war cry. She can scream as soon as she's finish with the first attack. Lavos, quickly grabbed the frog and human swordsmen, beginning to squeeze the life out of them, but he noticed that his wounded chest was exposed. It was too late.

Ayla kicked with all her might three times. Once she hit him in the chest, the force of the kick sent her in a up towards Lavos left wrist, where she grabbed hold of the wrist, spun, and came back to kick him again. In that same instant, Ayla gave Glenn enough free way to get out of his grasp.

The last kick was similar to the second, except Ayla swung right, freeing Crono as well. The pain was great, but Lavos fought on. He unleashed another attack, this one of fire. The creature held back some of its power though to heal himself. Robo pulled back to do a Rocket punch, and Janus hopped on for the ride. In one hit, the godling was slashed by a scythe and pummeled by a robotic fist. The heroes weren't done. Together as a team, Glenn and Crono slashed across the beast's chest, leaving a trail of what seemed like an X but as the swordsmen were halfway through their X strike, Ayla leapt up and came straight down in a single, powerful kick.

The cavern began to quiver as the creature felt its power depleting. The surprise attacks were too much for the creature. At the last moment, Lavos opened up his body for one final attack. With the remaining power in him, Lavos shot out beams of light. Janus and Crono saw the raw power charging and knew what it meant. Crono leaped behind a stalagmite, but Janus just stood in awe at the great power.

Glenn began to try to find some cover, but saw his rival and friend standing in fear. With all his might, Glenn leapt as far as he could and threw Janus behind another stalagmite, this one just across from Crono. The wizard landed face down, but jumped to his feet, placing his back to the shield.

"GLENN!" screamed Janus.

A roar of heat and pure energy filled the room. Janus and Crono felt the rock they hid behind shake and melt. The wizard continued to call out to his frog friend, but no sound could be heard above the terrifying roar of flames. The assault seemed like hours, but it ended as quickly as it started.

Crono and Janus looked at each other in what seemed to be a mix of fear and grief. Knowing where they were however, they shook that feeling away and jumped out to continue the battle. What they saw was stomach churning. Their frog friend, for they knew only his green skin could make the goo that lied before them, was gone from their lives.

"Good thing that creature is dead, or he would've known our full fury," Janus spoke softly, bowing his head in respect of the man that was his friend and savior. Not long into paying his respect, Crono started poking at his shoulder.

"What?" ask the mage.

Crono pointed to yet another companion that was taken; as the sight of Robo fused with the wall, has finally been noticed.

"You get you wish," said Ayla dropping from a stalactite before the two remaining men. In the middle of the room laid a quiet, undisturbed, true form of Lavos. The beast has been sleeping the whole time, still taking all the energy of the world.

"Since the dawn of time he has been reaping the planet of all its natural resource. We are no more than harvest to it," Janus looked at Ayla then Crono. Crono nodded. "YOU'RE GOING DOWN LAVOS!"

The alien creature awoke and stood up, realizing that there are not just intruders in his home, but they actually defeated his defenses. This won't do at all. Lavos summoned two orbs of power to help him, and then did the unimaginable. He torn into the very fabric of time and created a battlefield of his choosing. The Axis of Time.

The heroes were scared. Never before have they ever felt such raw power. But the fresh memories of Lucca and Marle burned, beaten and dead; Robo and Glenn, melted into the stone, made them forget their fears. All they felt was determination and rage.

Janus was first to act. With as much agility that he could muster, the wizard jumped up with scythe in hand, and with all his strength and momentum, slashed at the alien. Lavos seemed unimpressed. To reward Janus for his effort, Lavos backhanded the wizard which in turn sent him flying.

Ayla jumped over Janus and charged the beast. In the middle of her charge, she was intercepted by the left orb, which pushed her far from its controller. Crono leapt into a summersault, spinning into his Cyclone attack. The right orb tried to stop Crono, like his counterpart stopped Ayla, but the spinning blades caught both the orb and Lavos.

Lavos just shrugged off the attack. Without lifting a finger, Lavos levitated the red headed swordsman into the air, spun him around, and for good measures, threw him head down onto the ground. The telekinesis attack made the Axis of Time move them through a different time era.

Janus rose, using his scythe for support. The wizard grinned at his opponent. _Oh, yeah. You're going to pay for everything you done to us all. But most importantly, you'll pay for what you done to my mother, my sister, and Lucca_.

Ayla ran back towards the beast. Again the orb tried to intercept her, but Janus immediately threw a Dark Bomb to stop it in its tracks. The spell had no effect, and attacked the prehistoric chieftain. As it came down to push her back, Ayla jumped on top of the orb and use it to launch herself into a Tailspin at Lavos. She dove straight down onto its head, causing some damage.

Crono charged again, and again, Lavos used his telekinesis to throw him, but this time into his friend wizard, disrupting his next spell. _Damn it. I just can't get near him. But I will. For Guardia, for Marle, for all my friends, I will destroy you! _Thought the silent warrior. With all his anger, Crono began to float up, but not because of Lavos, but from his own power was building so rapidly, it was pushing him off the ground.

"Get him, Crono," Janus whispered under his breath.

A large dome encircled both the orbs and Lavos' Core. The electric current began shocking the outside of Lavos, and when the dome started coming down, the current started zapping his insides. The creature fell to its knees, giving Janus the perfect opportunity.

"Crono, keep the right orb off me. Ayla, take the left!" screamed Janus, floating towards the beast.

The right orb descended upon the brave wizard, but was pushed aside as Crono rammed into it. Janus continued his charge and saw the left orb be kicked out of his way by Ayla. Lavos rose, his full twenty foot frame. If just standing, Lavos thought to intimidate the Zealian; he was in for a shock. Janus hoped it would work. The attack failed miserably the last time, but he had no time to change his mind.

The wizard came before Lavos and completely turned a one-eighty. "Shadow DISMISS!" yelled Janus to the top of his lungs.

An upside-down triangle of dark energy shot out of the wizard's hand, enveloping Lavos. Lavos screamed in pain, and seemed to vanish before the heroes eyes.

Crono grinned and nodded to his friend. "Good job, Janus," said Ayla.

"No sweat…" Janus was interrupted by the twin orbs doing an X strike. The wizard's eyes went wide before he collapsed in front of his friends. Ayla screamed and jumped up doing a Triple Kick the left orb, as Crono Cyclone the right.

An old, forgotten language spoke out of the right orb, and it began to glow. The language was forgotten by all but one. "Barrier down, resurr… resurr… huh?" asked Ayla.

At her feet, she heard her friend moaning out four words that he wished he didn't say. "Don't tell me, resurrection," Janus turned his head as a portal in time opened and a perfectly healthy Lavos returned.

Ayla helped Janus to his feet. The wizard pushed her away from him. "THAT'S IT YOU DEMON!" yelled Janus as he cast his most powerful spell, Dark Matter. A dark triangular hole appeared with a smaller triangle within that hole. The large hole began pulling Lavos and the orbs down, with the gravity of dark matter. The smaller light triangle continually assaulted the beast and its orbs.

Lavos was ready this time. He used a magic barrier to absorb most of the shadow attack, but the wizard was watching each of the three targets. Even though the beast was ready for it, the attack still hurt. The left orb seemed unaffected while the right seemed to be shaking in what could only be torment.

Janus snapped his head to his companions. "Ayla, only physically attack that left orb, Crono, use your magic on the right. I got…" the wizard turned around to see Lavos tearing open a gate to send Janus through.

"Him?"

It appeared to be outer space on the other side of the gate. Janus tried to keep his ground, but the vacuum of the gate was too much. Janus went through and it seemed ironic how he was torn from his life by Lavos opening a gate and now he was doing it again.

"Bastard," was the last word Janus said and then he was gone.

Ayla's scream was primal and fearful. She jumped up and started attacking the left orb like a cat. Crono leapt and started his rotation for a Confuse attack on the right orb. Ayla jumped off as the orb healed itself from the attack. Crono leapt off and was relieved that he saw plenty of marks on the orb.

Ayla jumped and threw Crono out of the way. The swordsman was completely caught off guard that he fell to the ground and struggled to get up. What he saw was truly disturbing. Lavos was sick of playing around. Whoever, these cretins were, they destroyed his home and succeeded in killing him. A huge rock, the size of a meteor was right above Ayla. Sixty-five million years of energy came crashing down upon the chieftain.

She held the rock above her head, keeping it from crushing her. Lavos forced with all his might to crush the infidel. Ayla held out well. She lasted against the god for ten seconds.

"No," Crono whispered under his breath. Fire filled his eyes. All of his friends, including Marle, were gone, all gone.

Crono stood looking down as the Axis again shifted to a time after Lavos' awakening. Tears filled the last of the heroes' eyes. _I feel so much sadness, so much pain. Countless people feel my pain. Even my world feels my pain. The past, present and future have felt this grief._

Through his blurred eyes he saw the huge rock that buried his friend, but he felt his target, the right orb. _If I destroy that orb, the resurrection should end, if not the damn creature will not come back when I kill him again!_

Lavos used a pulse of light energy behind the rock where his last nuisance was. Similar to Luminaire, which Crono used on Lavos earlier, this light dome was design to steal all the life energy out of a living creature, as Lavos been doing for years. What Lavos didn't plan, was that Crono didn't have just his life energy flowing through him. Through all the joy and pain, his memories of his friends and family, and all the people he's helped, gave his not just one, but countless life energies.

Power of the planet and the spirits that lives there began flowing into Crono. The swordsman felt desperation and hope through this power. Countless spirits encouraged him to finish this, and filled his strength with new found zeal.

A familiar energy found its way to Crono's right arm. Trusting in this spirit, Crono continued to focus past the rock to his target. Crono charged his final attack.

"NIRVANA STRIKE!" screamed Crono as his Rainbow sword crashed through the rock. The swordsman would not stop his attack until the orb fell. The barrage of back and forth attacks kept coming and coming. The orb kept trying to put its shield up, but another pierce from a different angle stopped it each time.

Lavos ran to its orb with as much desperation that the alien could show. It was too late. The Nirvana Strike did its job and the orb fell apart. Crono landed and just glanced at Lavos at the corner of his eye. The scream was inhuman. Lavos grabbed his head and started quivering. Normally Crono would hate such pain, even to a monster. But the swordsman didn't care; he even threw a lightning bolt at the defeated creature.

Lavos faded before Crono's eyes, as well as the two orbs. The Axis of Time was no place for a human of the third dimension to be and without Lavos' energy to keep the balance, Crono understood why. The Axis of Time has always been a place that only gods should be, to see and understand all the outcomes of all the possible futures.

Crono began seeing time going so fast yet at the same time impossibly slow. Time around him was spinning, as well as going straight ahead. He tried to close his eyes, to keep from going mad, but it just got worse. Countless creatures, speaking as one; some loudly, some softly, in many different languages attacked Crono's mind. Countless sounds and noises, too many for a simple human to sort out. Within time, Crono fell into the comfort of darkness.

A bell softly rang. It sounded far, far away. _I thought I was to see a light, not hear a bell._ Before the last word left his mind, Crono sat up, opening his eyes. He was in his room and completely unharmed.

_Was it all just a dream? No, it couldn't have been. So, why am I here?_

The swordsman leapt out of his bed and ran down his stairs. Crono saw his mother making pancakes and setting them down on the dinning room table.

"What year?" Crono asked.

His mother turned and smile at her son. "Thank goodness. That old man with the cane; his tonics did work. You've been out for days. It's New Years Eve. I guess at midnight, it'll be 1000AD."

Crono looked down at the floor. It wasn't a dream. Probably the old man with the cane was either Melchior or Gasper. If, whoever it was, used tonics he must have been in a bad fight, if you would call fighting a god a bad fight.

Without as much as a word, Crono left. His mother never noticed. The swordsman knew what he had to do. He had to tell the father's of his two close friends were dead. The first house he came to was Taban's house. Every step took its toll on Crono and every step was heavier then the last.

Softly, Crono knocked on the door. _It's not fair. Lucca saved her mother's legs, only to never see her again_. Crono knocked again, this time the sound of the bangs were as loud as lightning. Taban quickly opened the door when he heard the banging.

"What in the world? Oh, Crono. How have you been son?" ask Taban

Crono turned his head, trying to control his nervous and grieving shaking.

"Gee son, you seem upset. Is that even possible with you? So, are we going to play charades until I can figure what you want?" asked Taban.

"She's dead," was all Crono said before turning around and headed for Guardia's Castle. Taban was completely shocked. He would've stopped Crono to clarify, but he still couldn't believe what he just heard. By the time the inventor snapped out of it, Crono was long gone.

Crono barged into the castle without much of a thought. The two guards started to stop the intruder, until they saw who it was.

"Sorry, you may…" Crono didn't pay any heed to the soldier, he just kept on walking, "come and go as you please," the guard finished watching Crono walk up the stairs.

The doors opened to the throne room, without any announcements. The king and the chancellor were discussing the rest of the Millennium Fair and the secret gift to the princess, the Nadia bell. They stopped as the swordsman entered and came before the king and knelt before him.

"You may rise Sir. Crono. Since you are here, am I to assume you defeated the evil Lavos?" ask the king.

Crono remained kneeling, but nodded his head.

"Then we must celebrate!" yelled the king, standing from his throne.

Crono shook his head.

"Why?" asked King Gaurdia, then realizing his error, he change the question, "Is there a reason we shouldn't?"

A nod. "Is Lavos still a threat?" A shake of Crono head. Crono turn his head, grinding his teeth, trying to hold back his tears.

The king thought long and hard as to why the greatest swordsman before him was so distressed. It never dawned on him until the ever so observant chancellor said, "Where are princess Nadia and the others?"

"They're dead," the king softly said.

Crono nodded, and then kept his head deep and low. The king sat down in his throne. The news was at first unimaginable. King Guardia looked pass Crono, expecting his daughter and the rest to come flooding in. He refused to believe his daughter was gone.

A soft hand touched the king's shoulder. "She's gone my lord. Sir. Crono wouldn't lie about anything like that. You know how much they cared for each other. Look at him sire." The king did just that, at the man he thought would always keep his daughter safe.

After looking upon the defeated and worn swordsman, truly grief struck by the lost of his one true love and all his friends, the king held back any blame upon the hero.

"I'm sorry, Crono. You may leave. Thank you for saving us all and for all your sacrifices."

The king turned to the chancellor. "Let the Millennium Fair continue without the news of the princess and the saviors deaths. We will tell the kingdom about their legendary journeys and their sacrifice to save us all, after the fair." The king turned back to Crono, but he was gone.

Many hours have past. Crono stood over a cliff on Mt. Masamune, staring over the town of Truce. People were celebrating because of the turn of the times. So one millennium has past. It didn't matter to Crono. He has been through all the time periods and learned that people will change, but they will continue to remain the same. In the end, it is how you live your life in the here and now, not how the past or future will make you.

The hero turned away as the countdown began. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… HAPPY NEW YEAR! Fireworks starting going off and the party and fair began.

_So, this is year 1000AD. No difference then last year, no difference then the past billion years._ Slowly Crono closed his eyes. The swordsman began thinking, why continue this mortal existence without his friends. Looking down at the rocks and waves crashing upon them, he thought of jumping then and there.

_No. I have to think about this. At sunset, I'll come back here and make my decision. It is my fate; I must make sure it is the right thing to do._ With that final thought, Crono began his climb down the mountain, with the ghosts of his friends that he failed, fresh in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2: Crono's Fall From Grace

**CHAPTER TWO**

**Crono's Fall from Grace**

New Years day in the year of 1000 AD, a new millennium is born. All from the realm came to Truce's Millennium Fair. Human and mystic alike danced, drank, and laughed. Only a few thought that the fair was nothing more then a front to mask the truth of the fate of the Heroes.

Taban and his wife didn't even think of leaving the house. They watched from afar as the fireworks went off. The show was continuing long into the day, even after the turn of the century. Indeed, it was a beautiful and peaceful party, but the lost of their daughter, their only daughter, brought grief into the couple's hearts. Both knew neither would be able to have children and even the fact that Lucca even existed was a miracle. The miracle, however, was no more.

Within the fair was another who was also grief struck, but he did not show it. The king of Guardia stood proud and strong to his subjects. In the middle of the square, all in attendance circled around their king.

"The time has come to put the past to rest. It is time to take down Leene's bell, a symbol that seems to show the victory against the Magus four hundred years ago," announced the king.

Many of the mystics look down, embarrassed on the past on how wrong it was for their race to even try to rule over the human instead of beside them. Other mystic's looked enraged on how the humans continue to taunt them that they won the war. Most of the humans nodded, always agreeing with their king.

"I don't want to see or hear the past any longer. I know the future to be a good one," the king paused, knowing that indeed, the future was guaranteed. "Now is the time to move on with peace. A new bell to ring throughout the ages. A bell that, any time it tolls, will show the peace of our people, both human and mystics. I present to you now, the Nadia Bell!"

The people turned and made way for the soldiers of Guardia. The four soldiers held and walked with a bell the size of Leene's bell, the design of Leene's bell, but on the front was the name of Princess Nadia and the bell was made of silver. The soldiers softly laid the bell next to the king and slowly undone the Leene's bell.

The king of Guardia rubbed his hand on the bell, his present to his daughter that he knew would never return. It was hope, Marle's hope, which kept the king from breaking down then and there. A smile came to the king's face. _Ah, Nadia. I hope you're proud, looking down upon us. I'm going to miss you, my daughter_.

The soldier softly lifted the bell up to the bar and secured the new bell. As the soldiers came down, a strong wind began to blow. The bell rang on its own, guided by the wind. The people, both human and mystic, cheered as seeing the bell as a good omen that peace and a great future lied before them. Indeed, they wanted to let go of the past, and this bell was a symbol of that very thing!

The king however, thought of something different. Tears blurred his vision and he even let those tears run down his cheeks. The people thought that their majesty was indeed happy for the true truce and they cheered all the more louder. The king, on the other hand, knew his daughter spirit was the one responsible for the ringing. He knew, then and there, his daughter would always be with him.

* * *

Marle will always be with King Guardia, but her beauty, her voice; even her smell continues to be a curse to the red headed swordsman. Thus far, no one will know that he saved the future, nor does he care. Crono returned home, after thinking about his future at Mt. Masamune. Outside, in his backyard, the swordsman continues his practice with his katana, the Rainbow. He continues to attack his unseen foes, his memories.

_Swoosh_. His agility and speed in his waza seem to be a fluent blur of prismatic glow. Crono jumped into the air, and swung his sword. No one could question Crono's unrivaled skills and grace. _Swoosh._ The sound of the blade, the feel of the adrenaline, did not seem to help the young man ignore the heartache.

Crono gritted his teeth and slammed his katana back into his sheath. So many emotions ripped at his heart. How the swordsman wanted to make sense of the new reality around him. More than half way through the Heroes adventures, Crono's friends were able to save his life, but when it was time to return the debt, he couldn't live up to his friends expectations.

With that thought, Crono lifted his hand and struck a nearby tree with a lightning bolt. The explosion brought Crono's mother running out of the house, right next to her son's side. She looked at the tree and back to her son and embraced him with a huge hug. She continued to whisper that it's alright, but Crono wasn't hearing any of it. Through his rage, he lost control and destroyed a defenseless tree. Usually, Crono would care for all living creatures, but he felt nothing, well, nothing short of grief.

* * *

The wind blew hard as Crono continued his ascend up Mt. Masamune. Thinking about the strange name of the mountain, the young man didn't even remember why the people or the kingdom called this specific mountain after a legendary blade that has been lost throughout the ages. Though the thoughts of the name of the mountain relieved Crono's pain, but for an instant, his train of thoughts led back to his frog friend who used that blade and the grief in his heart returned.

Crono walked to the cliff side which he left only three quarters of a day ago. The wind calmed to a soft breeze. Even the elements knew what was on the young warriors mind and accepted whatever he planned on doing. Crono walked to the edge of the cliff and closed his eyes. The images of his past friends began to slip into his mind.

The first was the cave woman Ayla. Now she was something. She was the only hero without magic, but she was the last one still standing next to Crono when in the final battle against Lavos ended. Her strength of heart was something that kept the group going. She made all the Heroes feel immortal. _But that isn't the case. She couldn't survive, none could_, thought Crono.

Somehow, the next image was from the other fellow that survived to the end. Janus or Magus, depending on how you viewed him, was equally strong, but kept his heart shut. He was cold and calculative. He was never what one would call a friend, but he continued to stay with the group and helped save Crono's life. Indeed, he said it was only for the added power to save the swordsman, but all knew that he wanted to return the favor of Crono's sacrifice. _If I only knew you cared for Lucca. _Crono shook his head. _No, that wouldn't have mattered._

The next image was from his robotic friend. Even though Robo couldn't have feelings, the Heroes have seen and done more than what logic could define. But the image of his friend fused to the shell of Lavos sent a chill up Crono's spine _I'm sorry Robo, but at least you didn't feel any pain before your death. Can robots really die?_

Crono shook his head again as another friend came to him. Glenn, to those who really knew him, was one of the swordsman's greatest friends. Glenn showed compassion, friendship, honor, and mercy, even to the man that killed his mentor and changed him into a frog. Crono smiled, if only for a moment. The swordsman tried to keep the memory of Glenn teaching him the art of swordplay and more importantly, the discipline that went into the blade. The smile faded. Crono couldn't stop the final outcome. To the very last moments of his life, Glenn sacrificed everything, so that another can live. No one can question that Glenn died with honor. _How I envy you my amphibian friend. I wish I had your strength._

A longer memory came to Crono, that of his childhood friend. Lucca always was working on something new and Crono was always her guinea pig. Some inventions were breathtaking, that Crono would jump immediately on, but others that seem to blow up more than work, made the swordsman hesitate before agreeing. He always agreed to help Lucca, even with a machine that teleported him a short distance away but it was that same machine he used to chase after Marle in the past. The thoughts immediately changed to Marle, Crono's only and one true love. Now she was in a league of her own. She was a lady, a tomboy, a damsel in distress, a hero, an optimist, and the ray of hope that kept the group going. She led the charge against the Blackbird, the climb up Death Peak, only to get her love back. Crono clenched his fists tight. _And how do I return that love? By failing to protect you._

Crono's eyes shot open and without any hesitation, he leapt from the cliffs to the rocks below. Tears filled the young man's eyes. Even with the last moments of his life coming, though it would be short, he couldn't be brave enough not to cry. With that failure, along with the grief and failures of the past, made Crono cry all the harder.

The rocks came closer and closer, but Crono, ever the coward, refused to open his eyes. And then, he hit the edge of a tall rock, missing being skewered by many feet. Crono spun and land hard in the water below, causing him to get the wind knocked out of him. Crono opened his eyes and cursed himself in failing, yet again, as he knew that he leapt too far. As the swordsman looked up to the moon, faded by the dark waters, an image of his love returned. Crono reached up, hoping against all hope he could touch his love. _Marle._ He thought.

The swordsman closed his eyes again, as he descended to the watery depths. _At least this cursed life will come to an end. I'm sorry, I failed._

* * *

On the shore, a young man about eighteen summers walked the beach. The wind began to blow. His red cape started to caress either side of his legs while his blue locks of hair gently rubbed against his cheeks. He stopped short, noticing a shadowy figure jumping from a high cliff. The young man's violet eyes followed the fall that ended with a clipping against a rock and a large splash into the water.

_Seems I'm a bit late._ Thought the young man as he closed his eyes and began to chant arcanic words. The wind around him died and a light blue glow haloed around him. Slowly he closed his eyes. "Daynu palin coup veel nas," slowly he opened his eyes that showed golden while he chanted, "Greyo orum zeala impa pinjum."

All was going black, but the image of his lost friends continued to haunt him. The red headed man began pushing the images away, welcoming the darkness. _The end should be like this. All of the Heroes, dead. I'm coming soon._ Crono's heart began to slow, his mind and survival instinct screamed at him to get air. The swordsman ignored everything around him. All that mattered was the darkness and peace.

"GASPED!"

The force of energy pressed against his chest, forcing him to inhale. Around him the ocean parted, and he stood, suspended in the air. Quickly, he looked around, trying to figure out what was happening but the lack of oxygen made him see only red spots.

On the shore the young man in the red cape, held his hand flat and grinned. In an instant, the young man curled his fingers into his palm, almost like a wave to 'come here' motion. In that same instant Crono began to be pulled towards the shoreline and the parted water began to lay back down into the ocean.

The young man in the red cape lowered his hand, which in turn, placed Crono down softly on his feet. The swordsman tried to shake away the red spots in his eyes to no avail. A palm touched his forehead and on instinct, Crono snatched the hand by the wrist.

"Calm down friend, it's just a simple healing spell," said a soothing young voice.

Crono nodded and released his grip on the stranger's wrist. A light blue glow came to the young wizard's hand and channels of healing magic began coursing through Crono. Crono blinked away the remaining spots and focused on the stranger. He looked similar to Janus. He had blue hair and a red cape, but other then that, he seemed different in many ways.

Even though Crono couldn't see his body, since it was wrapped in the cape, he appeared to be well built, far more then Janus. His eyes were violet compared to the red that his friend had, and his skin tone was a healthy shade of pink. His face was more chiseled as if he seen much combat. He also held a facial expression that you couldn't guess what he was thinking; his face was plain and neutral. Before Crono could say anything the young man spoke up.

"He is still alive," the young wizard said.

There was a long silence. Crono opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted again.

"I mean the Magus, also known as Prince Janus of Zeal," the young wizard paused and opened his palm as if he was holding a ball. In a flash, a crystal ball materialized in his palm and an image of Janus floating in what seemed to be oil and surrounded by mist could be seen within the crystal ball. The pale sorcerer remained still as if he was asleep.

"He is trapped in time somewhere. Limbo I would guess. If you want a reason to live, help him," said the wizard before turning and walking away. Again, Crono tried to speak but was stopped short.

"You are welcome if that is what your thinking, if not the name is Noah," Noah said and faded away, as if he wasn't there.

Crono put his chin in the palm of his hand. Janus was alive! But how would he go by helping his trapped friend. Lucca held the Gatekey and that was in 1999AD as well as the Epoch. The swordsman felt around to see his gear was wet but intact. Even though all he had was his battle gear, his Rainbow, his bandana, and his pendent that Marle gave him. _Wait._ He reached around his chest and pulled out the pendent that was still around his neck.

He pulled it out and the pendent began to spin. _You started this whole chain of events. You got us all into this and now you will be the key to save us all._ He pocketed the pendent and knew that his chances were a long one, but he had hope. At least one of his friends was alive. Crono began to walk the beach, putting the past behind him. The images of his friends continue to assault him. One can walk from their past, but the past is quick to catch up.

* * *

On the cliff of Mt. Masamune, Noah stared at the swordsman departure. The wizard had no idea that any of the Heroes would be alive, let alone the Magus. Noah grasped his brooch that would send him back home. A smile came to the wizard's face.

"Find him Crono and I hope that my calculations are right," with that, Noah reached into himself and disappeared.

* * *

Crono awoke to the sounds of a bell, but it wasn't Leene's bell that he was used to hearing at six in the morning. He stirred and went to his window and opened the drapes. Crono opened the window to hear the bell more clearly. Indeed, the bell didn't sound the same. Leene's bell was beautiful, but this bell sounded as if an angel was singing.

Crono put aside the thoughts, as much as he has been doing for that last couple of days. After the unusual rescue of a stranger that he never met that told him that he could save one of his friends, all Crono wanted to do was go to Taban's immediately and beg him to fire up the Telepod. Crono just sighed and went downstairs.

Like every morning, Crono's mother made breakfast but was out of the house to do some errands. Looking at the food, Crono never even took time to consider the important life given blessing we receive everyday and we take for granted. Crono sat down and ate only enough to keep him going and then left the house for Taban's.

Softly, Crono knocked on his neighbors' door. Lara opened it and she seemed overly worn. The dress that she was wearing was ragged and wrinkled, and her eyes were rounded with black circles. _Is that how I look? I haven't had the time to check the mirror._

"Taban is at the fair, working on something. He'll be back in awhile," Lara softly said.

Crono nodded with a smile and left. The smile didn't last long. He didn't feel like smiling, but he had to do something for his dead friend's, mother's sake. In an hour Crono reached the fairgrounds and headed up north where the Telepod would be. Once he got there, a scene that he was unprepared for assaulted him, but he was not surprised.

Taban was finishing dismantling the Telepod.

Crono reached over and placed a comforting hand on the inventor. Slowly, Taban looked over his shoulder to see Crono smiling widely. Taban roughly shook the hand off his shoulder.

"What do you want, Crono? If it's the Telepod, forget it. This thing was the start of my daughter's adventures, but it was the same thing that led her to her grave."

Crono nodded, accepting the answer. _Who would blame you?_ Thought the swordsman. As if Taban read his mind, he nodded and said, "No one would blame me. I have my way to grief and the king has his. I take down the last invention that my daughter and I made, and he puts up a bell with his daughter's name on it."

Crono turned around and quickly ran to the square. As he got to the base, he began to circle around the bell. It wasn't Leene's bell! The bell was made of silver, not the usually bronze. There was a name, engraved at the top written 'Princess Nadia'. Crono's eyes went wide and took a step back, and then another. His knees gave way, looking at the bell with his lost friend's name on it.

Then, the bell began to ring. An unexpected strong wind began to blow causing the bell to ring loudly. Crono closed his eyes and clasped his ears from the loud ringing. As soon as the wind stopped, the bells ringing began to sound pleasant again.

Crono opened his eyes and then his eyes went wide. There before him, as if summoned from the future, was the Epoch. Crono began to shake his head. _I have gone off the deep end. How?_

Crono got up and felt the cool metal of the Epoch. _It is here and I'm not going to waste my chance_. Quickly, Crono open the hatch and jumped into the time machine. It appeared the same, but the controls were different, but the swordsman didn't pay too much attention to the controls. He placed the pendent to a power generator, hoping that the machine would be disrupted in flight, as the Telepod was when the pendent interfered with the machinery.

Crono closed the hatch and turned the knob to a random era. The ship took to the air and began flying faster than the speed of light. The pendent began to glow and the Epoch began to shake. _I hope this works. Janus, I'm coming._The Epoch vanished in time.


	3. Chapter 3: Enter Limbo

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Enter Limbo**

Looking into a crystal ball, Noah watched as Crono placed the pendent of Zeal onto the Epoch main power generator and started up the time machine. The young wizard watched the Epoch lift up into the sky and move incredibly fast, the mirror image faded and left the wizard looking upon himself. Noah waved at the mirror, trying to get the image back to no avail. The young wizard smiled

"Well done Crono, well done. But… will it work?" asked Noah to himself.

Noah walked up to a tapestry that shown several layers of time period wars. On the bottom of the tapestry, was a war of the ancient past. Lizards and humans fought against each other. The humans were using spears as weapons while the lizards fought back using their claws and talons. In the middle of the fight was a red star that shined brightly between the two races.

The layer above that image was a war of a very distant past. Humans battled with fellow humans. In the upper left corner of this piece was an army of humans in clean and royal garbs who had their hands up and shot forth the element at the other humans. The rest of the layer showed the other humans who worn skins and were throwing spears at their fancier cousins.

Above that piece was another war, this one fought between humans and a multitude of different unusual creatures. In this layer, in the lower left corner, the monsters were firing the elements out of their palms, similar to the humans in rich clothing directly below the piece. The human army was towering over the creatures with a group of knights charging ahead with their mighty steeds.

The middle layer of the tapestry showed two human armies fighting from one continent to another. On the left side of the artwork was a cavalry in front of their homeland while the right had an armada and in the background was their continent.

Atop that timeline, was a display of a "peaceful present", where two sides seemed to call a truce. A group of humans on the left wore simple chainmail, where the group on the right wore navy clothing. In the center of the masterpiece, stood the two great leaders of those armies. The leader on the left was covered in royal garbs and a crown, while shaking the hands of an admiral on the right.

The following piece was more of a battle against a huge beast and every living creature on the planet. The beast resembled a porcupine and some humans surrounding it were being struck down by a rain of light.

The top image showed a great battle, where both sides of the tapestry had nothing but bright light and two huge clouds that seemed orange in color and mushroom in shape. The complete tapestry was encased in glass and surrounded by a golden frame of leaves.

Noah stood before the magnificent masterpiece, closing his eyes while he began chanting. Slowly, the tapestry of the war between the humans attacking the other humans with the elements seemed to come alive. A human shot fire at another, consuming the other human in flames. Another human threw a spear, embedding it into an element throwing human. The tapestry began to glow and Noah vanished.

* * *

The Epoch began to shake. The alarms in the time machine began to blare. The metal on the wings and base started to tear. The pendent continued to glow and was actually melting the power supply. Chaos and death was obvious. Crono never noticed.

The swordsman looked out the cockpit, praying that his gamble would pay off. Never would Crono permit such a rash action, but this was the only chance of finding his lost friend. Then a thought occurred to the young man. _What about Gasper? If I kill myself, what would that accomplish? I better stop this._

Crono reached down to remove the pendent, but pulled back his hand when the pendent burned his hand at the touch. As if waking from a dream, Crono finally realized that he was in mortal peril. The swordsman did the only thing he could, he screamed. Crono tried to push any button, but they wouldn't go down. He tried to pull all the levers, they wouldn't budge.

Then, all was quiet. The alarms stopped and the ship shut down immediately. Slowly, Crono opened his eyes, that he never even remembering closing. He looked outside and saw darkness and light mist.

Crono sighed with relief not just because he was alive, but that the plan actually worked. Crono got out of the ship and landed with a thump. The swordsman looked down and saw black oil moving about his feet, but he wasn't sinking. With a shrug, Crono started walking in a random direction, hoping against all hope he could find his friend in this oblivion.

* * *

"_Master, there is an intruder,_" called an echoing voice.

"IMPOSSIBLE. NO ONE CAN PHYSICALLY ENTER," replied a deep demonic voice.

"_Regardless, there is one._"

"VERY WELL, I WILL SEE TO IT."

* * *

Crono continued to march through the small waves of oil. The swordsman had no idea how long he'd been in this place, but he didn't feel tired at all. He was well aware that maybe a day, perhaps two, have past but he was not hungry or sleepy. A new thought occurred to the young man.

_I'm not hungry or sleepy? Am I… _Crono swallowed hard, _dead?_

Crono shook his head. _No, I just swallowed some saliva so I can't be. So where am I?_

"YOU ARE IN THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THE TRULY CURSED," replied a demonic voice that seemed to read Crono's mind.

Crono drew his Rainbow and called out, "Show yourself."

In front of the swordsman the oil began to stir and the liquid grew to a twelve foot humanoid creature. The creature opened its eyes which just shown two oval red slits, while the oil of the brow dripped loose oil onto its chest. The droplets merged into its body. The creature began to speak, though it didn't appear to have a mouth.

"YOU WHO ARE CRONO DO NOT BELONG HERE," said the oily creature.

"Where is here?" asked Crono.

"THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THE TRULY CURSED".

"You already said that. Where is here?"

"WHERE NO PHYSICAL BEING BELONGS. THIS IS LIMBO."

Crono lowered his sword. He thought back to when the man in the red cape saved him and gave him hope in finding Janus. That man believed Janus was in Limbo and this place was correct according to the crystal ball. This creature on the other hand said this place was not where physical beings belonged.

The swordsman gasped. "Janus Zeal, he was thrown here physically. You did not kill him did you?"

The creature narrowed its eyes at the swordsman. He was indeed the 'intruder' but his servants never told him there were two. The creature glared at Crono and reached out into his mind for an answer.

The swordsman was caught completely off guard. The mind probe continuously felt like Crono's head was exploding, over and over again. The swordsman fell to his knees grabbing his head, screaming, "Get out of my head!"

The pain stopped, replaced with nausea. Crono wanted to vomit, but he couldn't. The creature reduced its size to Crono's height.

"YOU DON'T BELONG HERE, BUT YOU WERE COMING," said the oily demon.

"What do you mean?" responded Crono.

"YOU TRIED TO TAKE YOUR LIFE, YOU COME HERE."

Crono looked around at the darkness and emptiness. All around him was black air, darker oil, and a disturbing mist as far as the eye can see. Something else that the swordsman didn't noticed. It was quiet. Other than he and the creature, not a sound could be heard. The oil moved, without a slightest swooshing sound and the mist floated around, but there was no wind. All was very silent.

"This is where suicides go?" asked Crono, still heaving.

"YES. BELOW YOU ARE ALL THE TORTURED SOULS WHO DESTROY THE VERY PRECIOUS GIFT THAT **GOD** HAS GIVEN THEM. NOW THEY ARE ONE, NOW AND FOREVER."

Crono immediately quit heaving and stared at the demon. The afterlife that he wanted was to be with his friends, not trapped in this dimension that seemed worse than Hell. _No, _Crono thought, _I just wanted to get rid of the pain. I am a coward._

"RETURN TO YOUR SHIP. I WILL FIND YOUR COMPANION," spoke the demon.

"Why would you do that for me?" asked Crono.

"I AM WATCHER OF THE SPIRITS, NOT THE LIVING. I WANT YOU BOTH GONE!" yelled the demon as it reformed back into the ocean of oil.

_Simple enough for me_. Crono turned around and began to walk back to the Epoch. Then he felt, no heard, all the woes and pain of the ocean of tortured spirits. Crono ran, but couldn't run fast or far from the infinite woes. He cupped his ears as he continued to run as quickly back to the Epoch, but his estimates of two days were correct. For two days, Crono was haunted by the deathly wails of true murderers.

* * *

"INTERESTING. HE PLACED HIMSELF INTO SUSPENDED ANIMATION," spoke the demon, towering over the blue haired man.

"NO WONDER MY SERVENTS COULDN'T FIND YOU," said the demon as he lifted Janus onto his shoulders. The creature formed four oily wings that dripped oil from its back. Looking behind him, the demon wondered if he could fly in this form. Without another thought the demon took flight, with a passenger aboard.

* * *

Noah gazed at the sunset. The simplest things in life the wizard enjoyed above all others. He watched as the colors of the sky slowly descended into darkness. The stars began filling the sky and the temperature began to plummet. Noah wrapped himself in his red cape, thinking that his calculations were off or even wrong.

Shrugging, the wizard didn't really know that Crono and Janus would live against Lavos let alone come back from Limbo. No one has gone to Limbo. If anyone did, it was an impossibility to return. Noah shook his head. _Nothing is impossible for those two_.

Noah looked over his shoulder where the Temple of Black lay. He knew he was early and now it's been several day later. The wizard looked to the horizon and waited for the next dawn.

* * *

Within the Epoch, Crono felt the voices stop in his mind. The swordsman started rubbing his temples, trying to relieve the throbbing in his head. _I really got to stop going to places where no man should be. First the Axis of Time, now here._

The Epoch trembled as a large form struck the ship. Crono looked up in the cockpit and saw his friend unconscious. The swordsman opened the hatch, dragging his sorcerer friend in. As he was closing the hatch, an oily hand grasped the edge, keeping it open.

"LEAVE AND DO NOT RETURN!" bellowed the demon.

Crono closed the hatch, nodding rapidly as he continued to get the Epoch going. He removed the pendent, and the ship came to life. The lights inside the ship came on, the engine began to run and the ship took to the sky. The demon looked up at the unusual device, unimpressed as the ship vanished before its eyes.

Crono turned the knob as far to the right as it would go, his destination, The End of Time. As the ship started in its warp, a stirring came from the back seats followed by moaning. The swordsman looked back, seeing his friend coming to. Crono smiled broadly at his friend. Janus didn't return the sentiment.

"How are we here? Last thing I remember was being pulled into a gate," Janus softly asked, too coolly.

Crono smile disappeared into a scowl, giving his friend a death glare before turning back to the controls. The wizard looked shocked at seeing the red headed warrior unlike himself. The shock didn't last long as Janus continued his questioning.

"Answer me! Where the Hell are we!" yelled the wizard.

"End of Time," Crono replied as the ship finally stopped.

Janus nodded, knowing that Crono had a good idea. Here, Gasper, the Guru of Time, would be able to answer any impossible questions that Crono may be unable to answer. Janus jumped out of the cockpit, onto the platform in the End of Time. Crono followed suit and quickly ran to the Guru.

Gasper, as always, was sleeping against a lamppost. Softly, the swordsman began to shake the Guru awake. Gasper opened his eyes and saw Crono. He saw CRONO!

"No! You can't be here! That's impossible!" hollered the Guru.

Janus pushed Crono aside and grabbed the old man by the collar of his trench coat and heaved him off the ground. The Guru was even more terrified, looking into the wizard's cold red eyes. Gasper continuously whispered, "You both can't be here."

"We are here old man and you got some questions to answer," Janus quietly said.

Crono reached up to his friend's shoulder to calm him down, but the wizard gave him a sideway glance. The swordsman retracted his hand. Crono tilted his head, the common physical trait asking what's up.

"Don't you see the fear in his eyes? Didn't you hear him?" Janus paused and slowly glared at Gasper, "he knew we were all going to die."

Crono did look at the Guru at that moment. Indeed, why would the only man alive who can see the outcome of the future not tell them their destiny? Then it dawned on the swordsman. It was their destiny to die and he knew it. Gasper looked at Crono desperately for support, but what the Guru saw in Crono's eyes were more dangerous than the man that held him now.

"Explain now," said Janus, gingerly going for his scythe.

Gasper regained his composer, slapping the wizard's wrists off of him. The Guru straightened his collar and bent over, picking up his cane. On the bottom part of the cane, Gasper poked Janus to a safe distance.

"Both of you traveled through time enough to know about paradoxes. You see Janus, Crono and his friends were thrown into the future after escaping the chancellor of Guardia. In that future, the group found a terminal which showed the destruction of the world in 1999 AD. Then they fixed Robo and the four landed here and their journey began," the Guru paused, letting what he said to Janus sink in.

Janus thought about the story that he never cared to hear about. But if there was a point, he wanted it now and not into a very long story. The wizard nodded, indicating he understood and wanted the Guru to continue. Silence encircled the trio for a very long time. Then Janus saw Gasper head tilt down, completely asleep.

"WAKE UP!" screamed the wizard.

The Guru snapped to attention and noticed that the duo was still in his presence "Ah, yes, where was I?"

"They just arrived at the End of Time," Janus clarified.

"Yes. You see, Lavos had to destroy the planet to have the group go back and 'stop the Magus from creating Lavos.' Else they would have gone to a beautiful future where there were no terminal and no record of Lavos. Thus, they wouldn't go on their adventures to stop Lavos and then Lavos would live and destroy the world. This would cause an infinite loop, a paradox."

"You… knew we would fail," accused Janus.

"Obviously not, because somehow, you both are here," Gasper calmly replied.

"No," said a soft voice from the side.

Both Gasper and Janus saw the red headed swordsman shaking his head, as if everything that they were discussing was false. Crono punched the lamppost, which in turn sent Gasper to the floor. Crono looked down in hate at the Guru.

"NO! That's not right. The future was always good. When Lucca, Marle, and I went to 2300 AD, we saw a glorious future. A scientist dragged Lucca away and Marle and I followed them. He introduced us to a robot named RY-Y6, which we later called Robo, showed us a record of Lavos in 1999 AD. Because we were time travelers, we were the last chance to stop the beast, so Robo told us Janus, er, the Magus created him…" Crono paused, seeing shock in Gasper's eyes.

"Then your adventures began. Time, would not permit a paradox or someone must have planned to input that record into Robo," Gasper got off the ground and bowed his head to Crono, "I'm sorry, I… I didn't know. If I knew…"

"You should have told us anyways," Janus shot back.

"Seems you both should clarify how you are even here. Start from the beginning with the fight with Lavos," said Gasper.

Janus and Crono jumped into the Epoch after telling Gasper everything they knew. Crono also included being saved by Noah and how he gone to Limbo after Janus. Gasper only shook his head, completely at a lost. They both wanted to know where to go from here but all the Guru could say was 'My knowledge is no good anymore. You are on your own'.

Janus suggested that they start by looking for Schala. Crono questioned the motive of why they should look for her and Janus explained that with her magic, they could very well help save their friends. Once Janus looked at the controls, he looked back to Crono.

"What did you do to the Epoch?" Janus asked, far too calmly.

Crono look over and saw that the knob was not written for dates, but eras. Instead of 65,000,000 BC, there was writing that said 'Prehistoric'. The controls were written as 'Prehistoric, Nomadic, Dark Age, Dominic Age, Medieval Age, Guardia Age, First Millennium, and Second Millennium.' Crono just shrugged.

Janus rolled his eyes, turning back to the controls. He knew his time period to begin the search was in 12,000 BC, so he turned the knob to Dark Age.

"Forward."


	4. Chapter 4: The Temple of Black

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**The Temple of Black**

The two strangers entered the first Earthbound and Enlightened town. The town was not what the two expected at all. Lying next to the ocean was two wharfs and a few taverns. The town's buildings were actually made from thick timbre. The land was recovering from the long ice age and plant life was growing once again. Even the sky had shown the end of the ashen cloud that was left behind after Lavos crashed on the planet.

Janus walked about the town, noticing the people living in harmony and growing. The sorcerer's stomach began to twist when he saw a couple walk pass him with a child. The man was an Earthbound, a magicless human while the female was Enlightened, a human blessed with the wisdom and knowledge of magic. In her arms were their beautiful baby girl and the Enlightened one was with child.

A wave of nausea came over the wizard as he held himself up with the support of the nearest house. Janus shook his head, refusing to accept the sight before him. Crono placed a comforting hand on his friend. Janus looked at Crono over his shoulder. The red headed swordsman gave him a smirk. The sorcerer shook the hand off of his shoulder.

"I know. It was destined but I don't have to like it. If one of those powerless humans even touched my sister," Janus let the statement end there.

The two continued through the town, searching for any leads for the missing princess of Zeal. The townsfolk ignored the two and went about their business. Anytime one of the two men did happen to stop one of the civilians, the only answers they received were shrugs.

Janus leaned against the nearest house and began pondering what to do next, when a touch of fur brushed against his calf. The prince stared down and a soft smile came to his face. The smile lasted only a few moments.

A pair of blue eyes stared up at the wizard, followed by a mew. The cat began to brush against the leg of the prince.

"Go away, Alfador," whispered Janus.

"Get back here!" yelled a man in torn clothing grabbing Alfador harshly.

Janus glared at the old man in rags. The man hasn't shaved in years and he smelled of body odor and alcohol. He appeared gruff but he did pet Alfador gently and shot Janus a dark gaze. The old man back away, as he was noticing who he was just threatening with his eyes. He eyes fell to the floor, refusing to even look at the wizard.

A strong hand grabbed him by the collar and lifted him effortlessly off the ground. The prince stared deeply into his eyes, promising a very long and painful death.

"I'm sorry, Prophet. After all these years, we thought you dead along with the others," whimpered the old man.

"Now how would I die if I knew my own fate?" Janus asked manically.

"I'm sorry, Prophet. Many, many apologizes," begged the old man.

Janus dropped the old man to the ground but he didn't take his gaze off of him. The wizard circled around the man, preventing any type of escape.

"How many years have I been gone?" ask Janus quietly.

The old man looked up confused. Was he not a prophet? Also, wouldn't anyone know the year by remaining on the surface? Without questioning, which he knew would only enrage the Prophet, the old man answered.

"Um, if my memory serves me right, twenty-eight years."

"Has anyone seen or heard of the princess during that time?"

"No, master Prophet, none has. Only the legend can hope to bring the princess or the prince back to us," the old man replied hugging the feline close.

Janus squatted down to the man's height but the tall wizard still towered over the old one. The wizard eyes narrowed.

"What legend?"

"D… Da legend states, that in the Temple of Black can the search end for the lost royalties. Um, but only the one holding the royal key may enter and only that of royal blood may be tested. That is all I know, I swear," begged the old man.

"Where is this temple," said Janus lifting his head up.

"It's forty kilometers to the south of the Sun Cave," the old man replied.

The prince rose and looked off to the east. Quickly, the prince snapped his head back to the old man. _Kilometers? How would an imbecile know what a kilometer is? That type of measurement was thought up close to the first millennium._

Before the prince could question the old man farther, he noticed Crono heading back the way they came, towards the Epoch. The wizard gave the old man no more notice and ran to keep up with the swordsman. The old man stared up at the departing prince, noticing that he was floating more then running.

The illusion of an old man fell. The brown hair that was in disarray was now straightened and groomed to the side, showing a lovely shade of blue. The ragged clothes were replaced with a rich, shining red cape. The wrinkles faded, leaving a young and vital man.

Noah smirked, "Good luck".

* * *

"A CHALLENGER COMES, SATURN," called a demonic voice from across the void.

The specter looked out of his prison window, noticing some sort of flying vehicle. For the past sixty-five years, the ghost was caught between dimensions. The keeper of the damned in Limbo gave him a chance to save his eternal soul, by being the keeper of the Temple of Black. Only of royal blood may set his soul free.

As the craft landed before the mountain, two young men stepped out. Saturn frowned at the sight of the two. Neither was of royal blood. He knew of only three royalists thus far. Queen Zeal, who hovered above him in the black omen; Schala, who would be a fair and beautiful woman; and Janus, who would be, by now, reaching his thirtieth year birthday. The specter shook his head.

"Foolish boys," Saturn said, his voice echoing throughout his prison.

* * *

Most of the planet has begun to thaw, except here before a large mountain range. Embedded into a mountain was a large spiraling tower. The two men walked up before the door of the tower and were not surprised to see that the door was sealed by some magic force. Janus extended his arm to Crono.

The swordsman nodded and handed the prince the pendant of Zeal. Janus grasped the pendent in his hand and channeled his strength through the pendent. The magical doors opened, showing only darkness on the inside. The swordsman began to walk in but Janus threw his arm across his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

Crono turned and tilted his head.

"I must go alone. Do not follow," barked Janus as he began to walk slowly to the entrance. With a flick of his wrist, the prince threw the pendent behind him.

"If I don't come back in a couple of days, move on," commanded the wizard.

Crono lifted his hand up and caught the pendent, turning his hand up with his middle finger sticking up. The swordsman began wondering if he should've left the blue hair Zealian where he found him. Crono shrugged, as if it didn't matter. As long as he was on the road again, he could ignore the grief he felt in his heart. The swordsman drew Rainbow and began going through a simple battle technique.

The door slammed behind the wizard, hardly surprising him. Looking around, all that Janus saw was darkness. The wizard spun around and chanted for a spell of fire. A ring of flames went around and out from the wizard, which in turn lit several torches.

The inside of the temple was thick with metal. This caused the prince to raise an eyebrow. The Enlightened Ones used to use metal with all sorts of tools and architectures. But, by the looks of the temple, the Earthbound must have made the temple for it looked older then Janus.

The prince shrugged and grabbed a torch. _This place is primitive except for the fact it's mostly made of metal_ This prince shook his head. _No. The door required magic._

Janus began to walk down the hall. The temple was strangely quiet. Janus' breathing was the only thing that could be heard and except for the torch light, the temple remain pitch black. Within an hour, the hall forked in three perpendicular directions. The prince placed his torch in the middle of the crossroads. The flames began moving to the right; therefore air was coming from the left.

The prince turned left and headed down the corridor. As the wizard continued his trek, to either side of him were doors that he didn't bother to open. He felt a great and powerful presence down this corridor. The corridor ended in front of a door.

Janus grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. A gust of cold wind whipped out of the door, blowing out the torch. The prince dropped the torch and started walking up, noticing the stairs with the little time he had to look pass the door. At the top of the stairs was a square room. In the middle of the room was a big throne. The walls and ceiling began to glow an eerie light purple.

"Who dares enter the Temple of Black?" a voice asked and echoed.

"Hmph. My name is Prophet, who are you?" sneered the wizard.

"The one who will only test those of royal blood! Prophet, you may not be tested. Be gone!" screamed the echoing voice.

The prince closed his eyes and nodded his head down. He began chuckling.

"Very well then, test me whoever you are. I am Prince Janus of the fallen kingdom of Zeal that is now buried underneath the ocean," Janus laughed.

"Do not mock me. I am no fool. Prince Janus is a middle aged man. You, Prophet, are a very young man. Maybe eighteen winters?" pondered the echoing voice.

Janus sneered at the remark but quickly regained his composure. The prince grabbed his scythe and began to walk to the chair.

"I am Janus Zeal and I am here for answers which you will give me," whispered the wizard.

A blinding light shot from the chair, dazing the wizard. Janus shielded his eyes with his cape, keeping the light from blinding him further. The flash ended quickly. Janus blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the darkness again. There before him, seated in the chair, was a middle aged man with short blue hair and well trimmed beard. The man wore impressive armor, like the knights of Gaurdia would wear, with a red flowing cape which was held up by a brooch. The brooch, upon closer examination, was the royal crest of Zeal.

"Who are you?" questioned Janus.

"Your death," replied the man, who echoed with each word.

The man vanished before Janus' eyes. The wizard spun and looked everywhere for the man in armor. Above he heard chanting, so the wizard dived towards the chair, and not a moment too soon. Two blocks of ice slammed down were the wizard was, shattering the ground beneath them.

Without wasting another moment, the prince let loose his Dark Bomb up at the ceiling. A black dot shot out of the wizard's forefinger. The dot landed on the ceiling, causing a globe of shadow to surround the area. The man was no where to be seen. Janus turned around in time to see a wave of fire coming towards him. The prince dived down flat on his stomach, feeling the heat roll on top of him but doing no real damage.

A sword came down upon the prince. Within the last possible second, Janus brought his scythe to bear, locking the blades. The prince rose slowly and glared into his opponent's eyes. The man withdrew his blade, leaving a wide opening. Janus took the shot. The scythe went right through him.

As Janus spun around, millions of questions went through his mind. Many more questions came as the man was hovering above him chanting a familiar spell.

"Kuna pinjea kilmax veto delio Dark MATTER!" screamed the man.

* * *

Crono spun around in his Cyclone Attack, trying to improve the technique. The swordsman wanted to not just have his blades spin and slash an enemy but also he was confident that he would be able to kick twice in each rotation in the spin. The problem was that he didn't want to have both his legs and his sword tangled up in the attack.

The swordsman tried to kick once but caught his leg in the spin and had a nasty cut that almost removed his leg. Sheathing the Rainbow, Crono went to stop the bleeding but the wound was too great. The swordsman removed his bandanna and began to make a tourniquet for his leg.

The blood began to flow too quickly for the swordsman to stop. Crono's eyes rolled to the back of his head, falling unconscious in the freezing snow.

* * *

"DIS-SPELL!" countered Janus, before the last word left the man's mouth.

The man pointed in the wizard's direction but nothing happened. The man's eyes went wide in shock. No one has ever mastered the shadow arts and it was even rarer to find an Enlightened One who would even know the power of shadow. The man came out of his reverie as Janus' Doomsickle went right between his eyes.

"Do quit that," the man said, vanishing again.

The wizard nodded, completely agreeing with what he could only assume was a ghost. Janus began to look around again, wondering where the next attack will come from. The wizard turned his head straight ahead. _Dodge this_.

Janus jumped into the middle of the room and threw his hand to the floor. Lightning bolts shot out in four directions from the wizard and continued to spin around him. To the left Janus heard a groan. Then he heard clapping.

"Good job," the ghost smiled, "but how about this element."

The specter began to chant and his cape blew up above his head. The room began to shake, the ice blocks shattered into thousands of shards. The glow in the room began to flicker on and off. Janus threw up his Magic Wall.

"Jinda pinjum dayo vicka dous Bright NOVA!" screamed the ghost.

The room lit up as it seemed a thousand suns just appeared. Janus screamed in pain, as the searing light blinded him. The light was the lease of his problems. A ball of light encased the wizard, seeming to snuff out his powers. All the magic Janus used today, from the simple floating when he 'ran', to the powerful Dis-spell magic, came back to him three fold in a sheer holy power of light. How the prince screamed.

The ghost opened his eyes after the spell wore off. The ghost took a step back, seeing that his adversary was still standing after such an attack.

"By oblivion," the specter whispered.

Janus looked at the man with as much hate as he would've given Lavos. If the prince didn't put up his Magic Wall, he knew he would have been dead. Normally, Janus didn't care if he lived or died, but the question of if his sister was alive kept him going. No old man with his tricks would stop him. The prince took a step forward, then collapsed

Janus slowly opened his eyes, which was indeed difficult with the extreme lack of strength. The prince sat up and glared at the chair where the man sat, smiling at him. A growl escaped Janus' lips.

"You survived my Bright Nova, congratulations Janus of Zeal," announced the ghost.

Janus placed his scythe on the ground and used it as leverage to stand up, though he tried to make it appear that he stood up without any help.

"So, did I pass?" Janus asked sarcastically.

"Ha ha, no, not yet. The test comes in three. The first is of body…" the ghost started.

"…then the next two must be mind and spirit," Janus finished rolling his eyes at the cliché.

"Ha ha, of course. Time to test the mind," the specter laughed tapping his forehead.

Janus nodded impatiently, wanting to get the test over with and start looking for his sister. The ghost smiled all the more at Janus' lack of inner calm.

"Where are we?" asked the ghost.

Janus moved his head left then right and then back to the ghost. "We are in the Temple of Black," Janus responded.

"It had a different name, what was it?"

"How the Nine Hells would I know?"

"You are Janus Zeal correct?"

"So?"

"You may have been too young but you should know. Of course only if you are Janus Zeal."

Janus placed his chin down to his chest and closed his eyes. The prince began from the here and now and slowly began to reminisce back to when he was a young boy. The thoughts of his sister came to him then, a memory before the Mammon Machine, Prophet, and even the idea of Lavos. He was outside, playing tag with his sister and mother. Both women Janus loved above all others. They were a happy family.

But then taking the memory into closer light, something was missing. His eyes shot open, gazing at the ghost that still was smiling at the prince. It all began to make sense; regardless on how far fetch the prince thought it was.

"We are in the first Blackbird," Janus whispered. The ghost nodded. Janus reached up with his thumb and forefinger and pinched the rim of his nose.

"Let me guess… you are King Saturn Zeal," asked Janus.

"Very good son, now for the test of spirit," announced Saturn.

* * *

"Are you sure son?" asked King Saturn.

"I said quit calling me that! Of course I'm ready but only if I will find Schala," snapped Janus.

"I told you it will enlighten you which in turn will help you in your search," replied the king.

Janus grunted and stood very still. He was completely taxed by the battle and the realization that his father been haunting the old Blackbird for all this time did not sit well with the prince. Now, the ghost planned on draining him of even more energy. But, this test, Janus had to be completely willing to go through with.

"Above Heaven and below the Earth, within yourself, do you surrender the Dark Curse of the Zeal family?" asked the ghost.

Janus nodded. Saturn softly walked right into Janus' very being, possessing him fully. The prince began to shudder and spasm but couldn't scream out in agony. He felt his very soul being torn asunder. All went black and then the prince awoke again before his dead father.

"I'm proud of you, Janus. I saw your life history and I couldn't be prouder," smiled the king.

"Shut up. Did it work?" asked the prince.

The king nodded and opened his palm where a blacker than black ball of shadow rested in his hand. There, before the prince, was both his very being but also the cursed power that has haunted him his whole life. That power gave him the power to enslave Ozzie and all the Mystics but it cost the wizard something more, something deep within himself. There, in King Saturn's grasp, laid the Black Wind.

"Once you see the world through your new eyes, you'll come to understand to find your sister is an easy feat. When you find her, bring her here to let me rest in peace," Saturn said.

Janus nodded and walked pass the chair and pass the illusionary wall. Staring down, Janus saw his comrade unconscious on the ground, with what seem to be many pints of blood around him. Something unusual tugged at Janus, screaming that he needs to see if his friend was in need of help. The wizard didn't understand and just pushed the feeling away. Janus walked out of the broken window and floated down next to Crono.

With a kick from the prince had Crono sitting up. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed Crono as the lack of blood made him feel weak. The swordsman managed to look up and smile to his friend before fainting. Sighing, the prince lifted up the swordsman and began heading for the Enlightened/Earthbound town.

* * *

A gust of wind pushed King Saturn to the far wall. The new intruder came in without the king's knowledge and with more power than he has ever seen. The fact that Saturn used all of his magic today in the fight against Janus didn't help. The youthful mage threw another gust of wind at the king, causing him to hit the ceiling.

Noah walked up to the fallen king and picked up the ball of shadow.

"N… no," begged the king.

Noah gazed down at the specter without any pity whatsoever. He tried to kick Saturn but his foot went right threw the king's head.

"I have what I want. Now I'm sorry," Noah paused, using his powers to lift the king up into the air, "but it is time you went away. Limbo seems nice this time of year."

"N… no." the king continuously begged.

The young so mage threw the king out of the Blackbird cockpit, into the forbidden outside world. The king howled in anguish as his very soul erupted into flames. Within seconds, Saturn was gone, never to return again.

Noah stared down at the Black Wind. Without another moment of thought he thrust the cursed powers into his body. The Black Wind engulfed his entire body in darkness. The pain, sorrow, anger, jealousy, and rage within Noah began to swell. The young mage felt as if he was going to explode. His scream was inhuman. Then, all was quiet.

Noah looked down at his hand, feeling something he wasn't sure was right. He expected to feel more power, instead he felt truly hallow. But then he felt the hole in him began to be flooding with dark energy. The young mage's laugh could be heard throughout the night.


	5. Chapter 5: Empty Roads

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Empty Roads**

The swordsman opened his eyes wide, sitting up too quickly than his recuperating body would permit. Crono winced and grabbed the torn leg with a rough tourniquet strapped to his thigh. Looking around the room, Crono saw mostly darkness except the glow of a fireplace lighting just a small section of the room. The fire was warm and welcoming.

Off to the far wall, with his back to a couch, Janus stared off into space. The wizard was completely oblivious of his comrade's presence. Memories of the past have been haunting the wizard, ever since he freed himself of the curse, the Black Wind. With those memories, questions began to stir in his mind's eye. Still, that was not what was bothering him.

Once Crono was breathing regularly and seemed like he was going to live, Janus ventured back to the Temple of Black. When the wizard, as tired as he was without dragging a heavy warrior, he knew he heard a laugh coming from the temple. He swore if anything happened to his father's spirit, he wouldn't rest until whomever or whatever harmed him would pay. In the temple, all was quiet. Not a soul wandered, not a single soul.

Without knowing what has happened to his father and the people of the city having no idea where his sister was, the wizard was growing tired of these empty roads. He needed to return to the End of Time and ask Gasper his opinion on where Janus needs to check next. For some strange reason, Janus couldn't tell, he needed to watch over his fellow traveler. Thinking about his companion, the wizard tilted his head over and noticed that Crono was awake and was warming himself by the fire.

The swordsman felt his friend's gaze and turn to meet his eyes. Crono grinned his usual cocky grin and nodded his gratitude. Janus returned the nod and began to stare off again. The stare didn't last long when the wizard looked back over, seeing Crono still smiling at him with his head tilted. Janus gritted his teeth.

"Forget it, I'm not telling you a damn thing! It's none of your business!" Janus barked.

Crono continued to smile and nodded his agreement. The swordsman understood well that one must look within themselves to understand any trials they must forgo before they ever want to open up to others. Looking at his friend, the swordsman couldn't help but compare himself to Janus. They may seem different, but in truth, they were very much the same. Janus knew more than any wise man, but never spoke any more than he absolutely needed. Crono, though was not nearly as wise but he always kept to himself, unless he absolutely needed to speak.

Janus got off the ground and offered a hand to Crono. The swordsman accepted it, lifting his weight to his unwounded left leg.

"Come. Our search here proved worthless," whispered Janus as he slung Crono's arm over his shoulder.

Together, both swordsman and wizard traveled many miles out of the city. It took more skill than Janus realized, getting Crono into the Epoch without harming him. The wizard stopped lifting Crono up, noticing what he was doing that has been prolonging his search. Janus began to push Crono higher without regard for his comrade's safety until he heard a whimper.

"Damn it," the wizard whispered to himself.

After succeeding in getting the swordsman into the cockpit, the wizard leapt up to the control chair. He grasped the knob and was just about to turn it as far as it would go to the right, until the wizard felt a presence. Turning around, scythe in hand; the wizard looked behind him and saw only Crono. The swordsman raised an eyebrow, turning around and looking out the window, also seeing nothing.

Janus eyes continued to dart around. Eventually, the wizard growled at his own paranoia and turned the knob far to the right. The Epoch went up into the sky, moving faster then the speed of light. During the travel in the wave, the wizard glared back. Something was amiss.

The Wings of Time stopped in the darkness that was the End of Time. The wizard shrugged away the feeling and wrapped Crono's arm around his shoulder. Together, they jumped out of the cockpit. Three _thumps_ followed as the two landed, not even waking the guru, who seems to be peacefully resting at his lamppost.

"Wake up old man," Janus coolly said.

Gasper awoke with a start, noticing that Janus and Crono were before him. The appearance of the two did not help him, trying to think that their survival was just a dream. The guru looked down at Crono's leg and back up to Janus's eyes. The old man smiled softly, noticing something was different about Janus. The wizard growled and stepped in front of the old man, towering over his frail form.

"We cannot find Schala. Tell us where she is," demanded the wizard.

Gasper sighed. _Something is different about him but not his attitude._

"I told you. My knowledge is worthless. Seeing the time stream is like a cloud of smoke, obscuring my sight. I can't see where she is," Gasper calmly replied.

A creak to the side took the attention from the swordsman whose been listening to the two men arguing. The door to the creature known as Spekkio was slightly ajar. Crono took a step to the door when he heard Janus speak in a kinder tone, turning his attention back to the two Zealians.

"Forgive my ignorance. You were a great wise man, guru, and scholar back in Zeal, what I can remember. All I ask is that you give me an educated guess on where she went," Janus said bowing his head.

Gasper looked up to the man who stood before him. Oddly enough, at that moment, Janus seemed exactly what Gasper felt that the wizard would grow into if he wasn't thrown into a hostile environment. But than again, Gasper was thrown into a lonely environment and it didn't change him… much

"I'm sorry, I can't even begin to think where or when she is, let alone if she is alive," Gasper paused as that last statement that had Janus's eyes glaring down at him, "Um, regardless, I'm not the only 'guru' you can speak to about such matters."

Janus features did soften before he turned to the side, placing his chin in the palm of his hand. Indeed, the wizard knew of such a man but to bring him into this could send him into an early grave. An inhumanly shriek interrupted the wizard's thoughts.

The three slowly turned their heads to the entrance, leading to Spekkio's room. They cautiously approached before the door exploded from its hinges. The door flew across the room, pushing Gasper to the wall, crashing him between the solid wall and the door.

"I… didn't see that… coming," Gasper softly said before falling unconscious.

Both the swordsman and wizard followed the episode that took mere seconds. They both shot their heads back to the door, awaiting the threat that was emerging from the doorway. The wizard gritted his teeth, drawing his scythe. Crono stood, jaw agape. Out of the doorway came a familiar blue haired man.

"Noah?" Crono breathed.

Noah turned to Crono and nodded, then turned his attention to the wizard. Janus didn't waste a second when Noah turned his head. The wizard charged, jumped into the air and began to come down and sink his scythe into the young sorcerer. He was held in place, once Noah lifted his hand as he encased the wizard in a small vortex. Noah gazed up at the wizard and smiled as if he was not impressed.

"Noah… what are you doing?" asked Crono limping to the young sorcerer.

"Stop where you are," demanded Noah. Crono froze where he stood.

"Your aura. It's the same as that old man. Well kid, you know some tricks," Janus coolly responded, waving his arms wide, dispelling the wind magic, "is it safe to assume you also know how to become invisible?"

Noah smiled and took a deep bow without taking his gaze off Janus. The smile disappeared. Crono noticed his eyes, which means he knew Noah's secret, that he took the Black Wind. Even if he didn't know, Janus was sure to put it together.

"Noah… why is your eyes red?" Crono said, "and why are your eyes violet Janus?"

Janus snapped his head up at the realization that Noah was somehow behind his father's disappearance. The wizard opened his palm, chanting his spell as fast as he could. Janus began feeling weak; obviously he was not over the battle with Saturn. He growled away the lack of energy, trying to finish the spell.

"Kunapinjeakilmax VETODELIO DARKMATTER!" hollered Janus.

Nothing happened; other than the wizard fell to his knee from exhaustion. Janus began shaking his head, disbelieving that his spell failed. The wizard looked up in time to see Noah lift his hand and a gust of wind that was ten times stronger than a hurricane, blew him hard against the wall, knocking him out of the fight.

Before the young sorcerer could turn around to his last threat, Crono leapt up and began twirling in the air, repeatedly slashing at Noah's chest. The swordsman landed and fell to his knees when his right leg couldn't absorb the fall. Crono's eyes widened as Noah was not harmed, not even a shred in his clothing.

"I'm merciful, don't forget that," Noah coolly respond.

The young sorcerer lifted his hand up, which in turn lifted up the swordsman. Crono turned upside-down and saw the floor coming far too quickly.

* * *

For the second time today, Crono awoke with great pain that was almost too much for him to handle. The swordsman choked back the agony in his leg and on his head. He reached to his sheath for Rainbow, but the sword was missing. Using the sheath as a crutch the swordsman went to the bucket where the magical water could cure all wounds. It was, for the first time, empty.

"We are smarter than this, aren't we?" asked a spiteful voice.

Crono turned to see his friend, lending against the doorway to Spekkio's room. At the lamppost was Gasper, though he appeared more awake than ever before. The swordsman turned his attention back to his friend and tilted his head, which made the wizard roll his eyes.

"Come on, Crono. First you were saved by a blue hair, magic using human, back in 1000 AD," snapped the wizard. Crono shrugged. Janus had to rub his temples from that answer.

"Listen, he is obviously from the Dark Ages, so something had to be up. Or was that moment of weakness of throwing away your life kept you blind?" sneered Janus.

Crono's eyes widened at the remark. His gaze fell to the floor.

"That's enough Janus or have you forgotten your own stupidity?" replied Gasper.

Janus opened his mouth to speak, but decided to shut it instead. The wizard couldn't ignore his own doing in this obvious trap. He knew something was wrong about the 'old ragged man' and looking back on it, how could Alfador be alive after twenty-eight years? To top it all off, he knew that something was in the Epoch.

The wizard closed his eyes and bowed his head, completely defeated. Crono limped over to the balcony and noticed that the Epoch was missing as well. The swordsman stared at the guru for answers.

"This 'Noah,' whoever he is, planned this from the beginning. How, I have no idea. He somehow knew you both would live against Lavos and he saved you to get Janus out of Limbo. Then in the Temple of Black, he knew Janus would surrender his Black Wind, which Noah took for himself. Of course it gets worse," paused the guru.

Crono limped over to the old man. When he was just inches from the guru's face, only then did he noticed that he had fallen asleep. Crono sighed and looked over to his wizard friend.

"I guess he stole Spekkio's power, my Rainbow and the Epoch," Crono announced.

Janus opened his eyes and gazed up at the swordsman.

"What do you mean, stole Spekkio's power?" asked Janus.

"When I attacked him with my blade, it didn't do anything," replied Crono.

Janus rolled his eyes, murmuring something like 'just great' and then closed his eyes again, falling back into his own thoughts.

"Oh, and thanks for freeing me from one oblivion and trapping me in another," the wizard coolly said.

Crono lips narrowed and he began his walk up to the hall which would lead to the gates. The swordsman stopped short as the room and half of the hall was gone. The hallway continued to slowly fade away into nothingness.

"Great."

* * *

Noah stepped through his tapestry and almost into one of his kneeling chancellors. The young sorcerer grinned and walked over to his large red throne. The chancellor forced her eyes to look over her shoulder without lifting her head to see her liege.

"Arise Chancellor Euphrosyne and report," commanded Noah.

The chancellor did just that. She was of average height and weight of a twenty year old woman. She kept her long brown hair up in a tight, simple pony tail. She wore a black tank top and jeans with a large belt that held many tools, over her tank top, she wore a brown trench coat with many inner pockets, which many believe to hold even more tools. Her almond shape eyes were exotic, her violent eyes made her even more enticing.

"The war continues into a stalemate. Both tribes continue to assault us as they wear themselves thin when they also battle against one another. How about you my liege? Did you succeed?" asked the chancellor.

"Aye, I did. I found a living Janus and tricked him into forfeiting the Black Wind. Now the Black Wind is within me. I also managed to find that annoying Spekkio, which I also bent, crushed, and infused within myself. As a bonus," Noah paused, throwing a prismatic sword in front of Euphrosyne, "I have that. Please inform Chancellor Thalia to melt the blade and form it into a couple of half-moons."

"Sickles? Why?" asked Euphrosyne.

Noah raised an eyebrow and stared daggers at his chancellor. Euphrosyne bowed and stepped back a few steps, forgetting that she was questioning her king.

"Of course sire," Euphrosyne corrected herself.

"Now as for you, is the invention created?" Noah said with a yawn.

"No sire," responded the chancellor, "I'm afraid that we are missing two rare metals that aren't in this world. We'll need what is called a Dreamstone and Sunstone to complete it."

The young sorcerer sighed and nodded to his Chancellor of Inventions. Noah knew exactly where to get these metals, but he was growing weary of time and space travel. Knowing that he'll need to rest for traveling through planes again, Noah excused himself and went to get a peaceful night sleep.

* * *

"Argh!" screamed Gasper, rubbing his head.

Crono stopped his training with his spare sword and looked at the guru who was on the ground. The swordsman gazed up after hearing a snicker coming from his wizard friend. Janus continued to snicker with his back to the wall and staring at the guru with one eye open.

"Enjoyed your peaceful night rest?" mocked the blue haired wizard.

"What happened?" Gasper said ignoring the remark.

Crono opened his arms wide and the guru took in the sight of his home. Where there was a hall that lead to a small room with nine gates, Spekkio's room, and half of the main room plus one lamppost was missing. The physical structure of the End of Time seems to be fading away. The guru nodded and rose, using his cane as support.

"I see. Without Spekkio's powers, the constructions here will vanish," the guru sighed, "why didn't anyone warn me that my lamppost was fading and let me fall to this hard nothingness?"

The guru's question went unanswered. The swordsman went back into his training while Janus closed his one eye, going back into thinking about the events that has occurred and how to get out of the mess that they were in.

"Whatever. I only got an hour of rest anyways," Gasper shrugged, watching Crono spin, trying to kick without cutting himself.

That remark hit the wizard hard. His eyes opened wide and his head snapped to attention, staring at the guru.

"What? An hour! We've only been here for a measly hour?" screamed the wizard.

"Yes, time really does have no meaning here," replied the guru.

A loud explosion sounded from behind the wizard. The explosion sounded familiar, like the Epoch has docked. The wizard ran as fast as he could and looked down at the docking bay. There before his eyes was the Wings of Time. His jaw dropped.

"Let's get out of here. Come on you two," demanded the wizard.

Crono walked over to his friend and stared down. The swordsman grinned at his luck and jumped into one of the back seats. Gasper walked over as well, not impressed in the slightest that the Epoch came back for them. The guru hesitated, which was making Janus's patience run very thin.

"What is it old man?" the wizard said through clenched teeth.

"I can't go with you. My knowledge of the time stream would be too dangerous," replied the guru.

"What about the new future?" asked the wizard.

The guru looked up at the wizard, taking in that new light. He never thought of leaving the bleakness of the End of Time, but he was not too enthralled of spending eternity in oblivion. Gasper nodded and hopped beside the swordsman, followed by Janus in the seat up front.

"We'll drop you off in 2300 AD…" the wizard stopped, looking over the control panel.

"I take that back, we'll drop you off in 2000 AD. Alright, forward," said the wizard.

* * *

"Thalia! Thalia! Stop that noise at once!" yelled Euphrosyne at the top of her lungs.

The room was glowing in bright reddish-orange; the sounds of hammering coming from an anvil was deafening. The room was hot, well above a hundred degrees, but the blacksmith continued banging her hammer onto a piece of black metal. _Bang_. The hammer repeated its song, bending the metal just enough so that the blade would have a perfect curve. _Bang._

The blacksmith, Thalia, had short blue hair which was always unkempt. She wore a tight one piece leather suit, which gleamed in the firelight of sweat. She was physically fit for a woman, but still had the grace of a feminine figure.

Euphrosyne never was one for patience; (other than working with machinery) began chanting a simple spell. _Bang._ The Chancellor of Inventions pointed her finger at the metal. A bubble appeared and floated to the piece of metal, popping when the blacksmith smashed it with a hammer. _Bong._ The water quickly began cooling the metal, ruining hours of work. The blacksmith glared at the chancellor with rage.

The chancellor bowed. "Forgive me Chancellor of Forging, but the king wishes for you to begin on creating two weapons for him."

The blacksmith scowl returned to her neutral expression. Normally, Thalia would ask whoever would dare interrupt her work to pick a blade on the wall behind the forge so she would kill them with it. But, since the king demanded her attention, she would stop whatever she was doing and immediately follow her king's orders.

"What type of weapons, Euphrosyne?" asked Thalia.

"He wants two half-moons," replied Euphrosyne.

"Sickles? Why?"

"That's what I asked. Big mistake. We shouldn't question our lord's motives."

Thalia nodded and walked over to a block of black metal. She turned around immediately when Euphrosyne cleared her throat.

"Do you think you can make them out of this without ruining the magic?" asked the inventor handing the blacksmith Rainbow.

The blacksmith's eyes widened at the perfect craftsmanship and unique material used to create such a blade. Thalia took Rainbow in hand and did some battle movements with the blade. The smith frowned, not wanting to destroy the work that the craftsman must have put into creating the sword. Thalia nodded.

"Yes I can. It will take a while, but I can… without interruptions!" Thalia snapped. Euphrosyne smiled wickedly.


	6. Chapter 6: Searching for Answers

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Searching for Answers**

"What the Hell? The controls are going haywire! I have no control over the Epoch!" yelled Janus as the ship made a right while he turned it left.

Crono and Gasper looked over either shoulder of the wizard and saw that the controls were indeed moving on their own. The guru decided to just sit back down, while the swordsman just shrugged.

The wizard began searching for a way out. Multiple times in the passed few days he'd been fighting for his life, trapped in oblivion, or used as a pawn to outsiders and he was sick of it. Before the wizard began casting a spell, the Epoch came to a halt. The ship began descending to the ground.

Janus grinned and started pulling his right glove tighter on his hand. The Epoch landed soundly and the cockpit opened, with a wizard flying out, scythe in hand. What the wizard saw though made him drop his weapon. Standing before him was a Nu and an old man who wore an unusual white lab coat and was leaning against a staff. Regardless on what he was wearing, the old man sparked a memory in the young wizard.

"Belthasar?" Janus whispered.

The old man nodded and walked past the wizard to his long awaited friend. Crono was next out of the Epoch and was equally shocked to see the Guru of Reason alive. Gasper was not surprised. Obviously since the future was "saved," so was Belthasar. What confused the Guru of Time was that Lavos banished Belthasar to the year 2300 AD, not 2000 AD.

"Ah, you're right on time," laughed Belthasar, "come in so I can treat you three."

"Sorry, we're leaving," Janus snapped, turning completely around.

"You are tired, Magus. Crono has seen better days, and I'm not releasing control of my ship until you had a least a few nights rest," Belthasar stated.

The wizard turned and gazed deeply at the guru, but the old man was made of tougher stuff than he appeared. Janus took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Crono limped over, patted his friend on the shoulder, and followed the two gurus. The wizard followed shortly after.

* * *

In the center of the dark room, laid a pentagram on the floor, that was drawn from the bone of a dragon. Around the outside of the pentagram were red candles, burning brightly, illuminating the room. Inside the circle was Noah, chanting arcanic words that were long forgotten.

The sorcerer opened his arms wide, calling out through the void for the demon he specifically wanted to summon. Aglaïa, his Chancellor of Knowledge, begged him not to go down this road. Demons were unpredictable and dangerous. Noah took those words of reason to heart, but he needed answers that only one could answer.

"Come forth, great Dizalu! Come forth," Noah demanded.

The candles burned more brightly and the room began to quiver. Before the sorcerer, a black gate appeared. Noah continued his chant, forcing the demon through the gate. Out of the gate stepped a blacker than the darkest onyx creature, made entirely of oil that dripped from its digits and were reabsorbed back into its body.

Immediately, Dizalu began scanning Noah's circle of protection, looking over the runes in the circle. If there was a simple flaw, there would be nothing standing in the demon's way to rip the foolish human apart. Over a quick examination, Dizalu gave up. This particular human was well prepared.

"LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH, HUMAN!" barked the demon.

Noah lowered his arms and was impressed on the demon's bluntness. Even under the perfect protection of the circle, Noah couldn't help but shuffle his feet.

"Yes, let's get this over with quickly. I have need with one Saturn Zeal. I will be needing his…"

"FORGET IT! YOU BANISHED HIM, NOW HE IS MINE!"

Noah took a step back, but reminded himself not to walk out of the circle. Regaining his composure, the sorcerer glared at the demon. Not a good move.

Dizalu smelled the fear from Noah in that brief moment. Now the foolish sorcerer had the nerve to glare at him. Dizalu jumped as high as the twenty foot room would allow and came crashing down. Once the demon landed, the floor began to crack, but didn't ruin the runes or the circle in the slightest.

"All right, that's enough! I just want to know when or where the Dreamstone and Sunstone are," yelled Noah.

The demon calmed at that statement. Dizalu stood tall and flipped the sorcerer off. Unlike demons from Hell, Dizalu was from Limbo. Just summoning his kind did not give the summoner 'control' into forcing the demon to answer their questions. Noah clenched his fists and had to use all the discipline he had to not walk out of the circle and try to destroy the demon.

"Fine. You are dismissed," demanded Noah, waving his hand.

The demon began to laugh as he was fading back to his plane of existence. When the demon was gone, Noah cast a simple detect element spell around him and out of the circle. Confident that the demon was indeed gone, the sorcerer stepped out of the pentagram and out of the room.

"I told you it was ill advised to summon that type of demon," Aglaïa softly said.

Noah turned to his Chancellor of Knowledge. She wore an exotic white robe (many actually believed it to be a gown) that complemented her fair white skin. Her long blue hair cascaded half-way down her back and some of her hair rested on her shoulders. Her face was said to put angels to shame, with her lips in a constant pout (if she was happy or sad, it remained that way) and her eyes were a crystal blue. Behind that goddess body, was a knowledgeable woman, which was exactly why Noah chosen her to be his Chancellor of Knowledge.

"I just didn't want to go back to that damn tapestry," snapped Noah.

"Did you not especially make it for those purposes?" asked Algaia with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. But I have to search each and every time period _thoroughly_," responded the sorcerer.

"You don't have to. By my calculations, the Dreamstone is a commodity in the Prehistoric Era while the Sunstone is either someplace in the Dark Ages, or most likely, it is in the First Millennium Age," Algaia said, bowing.

"I have come to those conclusions too but I still have to use much of my energy to travel through the weave of space and time. After that, I have to search with a fine tooth comb to make sure I have the specific metals needed, or it'll be a wasted trip," sighed Noah.

Aglaïa watched her liege step before the tapestry and began to wave his arms. The tapestry began to come alive. A dinosaur came down and started eating a human while three humans threw spears at a flying bird like creature. In the center of the piece, a white outline of a door appeared. Noah stepped through and vanished.

After a couple of days of recuperating, Crono and Janus were ready to continue their search for Schala. Crono continued to question the motive of the personal issue of looking for Janus's sister, but the wizard quickly dismissed it by saying 'We need her magic.' Belthasar was also keeping to himself. He said that he sent the Epoch to 1000 AD for Crono to use it to get Janus out of Limbo and he also programmed it to return to the End of Time when an unknown passenger disembarked from it. What he was holding back from the three was how he knew what was going to occur.

* * *

After it seemed Gasper was going to be fine in this time era and that Crono was able to walk on his right leg without help or without a limp, Janus wanted to be up and gone. Again, for some unknown reason, Janus felt a pulse to stay with his comrade and old mentor until they felt ready to continue. He understood why he felt that he needed Crono to be healed, that way the swordsman wouldn't slow him down but why did he care what happened to Gasper?

The wizard just shook it away and asked Belthasar where he should look for Schala. The only answer he got was shrug. Now, completely angry, the wizard demanded, "Crono to quit trying to cut yourself in that Cyclone attack and to get aboard the Epoch."

The duo jumped into the Epoch, though Crono leapt ahead and into the driver seat. Janus growled and hopped into one of the back seats. The wizard knew that Crono was well aware on where they planned to go. The swordsman turned the knob to the First Millennium.

The Wings of Time took to the sky and circled around the planet, faster than the speed of light. It came to a halt in the exact same place it left, just a thousand years in the past. Crono took the controls in hand and guided the aircraft east, towards Melchior's place.

Once above the Guru of Life's house, the swordsman set the craft down, almost right to Melchior's door. As the Epoch landed, Janus hopped out and started stalked up to the guru's door. The wizard rapped loudly.

"Hm, it's you again. Ah, Crono, how has your adventures gone?" asked Melchior.

Crono bowed his head low and handed the old blacksmith the sheath, specially designed for Rainbow. A dark cloud covered the guru's face. He made that sword for Crono and Crono alone. He knew the boy was a great swordsman but he also knew he would use the blade to protect, never to destroy. Now, it seemed that Crono was showing his age, by showing Melchior that he was irresponsible with the blade and lost it.

"We don't have time for this. Melchior, have you any idea when the pendent of Zeal came into the Guardia family line?" snapped the wizard.

Melchior looked over to the wizard. He could tell that he was from Zeal but the guru refused to believe it. Crono and his friends came by with a broken Masamune and with the legendary Dreamstone for him to fix the blade. Again, the old blacksmith refused to think too much on it. He never believed his heart could take any truths that the travelers would bring to him.

"I won't ask. Hmm," the guru paused, bowing his head and contemplating.

The wizard folded his arms and began to tap his foot. Janus looked over his shoulder after feeling a hand on it. Crono stared at him hard and then stared at the guru. Janus shrugged away the swordsman's hand but nodded his silent agreement. They had to practice patience.

* * *

The swordsman drew his newly acquired wooden sword. He slowly crouched down, feeling inside himself and began to visualize the maneuver. Crono shifted his eyes to the side after hearing a snicker. Janus was lying down with his back against a tree. His hands were behind his head and his eyes were closed but he continued to snicker.

Crono tried this maneuver twenty times today and each time he received a new bruise. The swordsman stared down at his wooden sword. If it was bladed, he would've lost several limbs instead. He fell back within himself, steading his breathing. Then he leapt up into the air and started spinning around in his Cyclone.

He kicked out and it seemed as if he would be able to extend his leg out and pull it back in time, until a door slammed open with Melchior yelling, "I know where and when the pendant reappeared into Guardia's history!"

Crono smashed his knee with his sword, creating a sickly _pop_ sound. Crono landed hard on his hip, grabbing both his knee and his side. Melchior ran over to the swordsman.

Janus opened his eyes but did not laugh. _Ouch. That had to hurt. He must have dislocated his knee,_ thought the wizard.

Melchior grasped the swordsman's leg and shoved his knee back into place. The guru quickly poured some type of tonic on the leg, mending it further. Once the tonics did their work, Crono was back up and ready to hear Melchior's tale.

"What did you find?" asked Janus, walking over and examining his comrade's knee.

"Five years before the people actually started dating the calendar, the first true royalty had the pendent and started using it as the royal seal. I actually believe they were the ancestors of the royal family of Guardia," announced the guru.

"Did this time have an era named after it?" Janus replied looking back to the guru.

"Yes… well, no. The year 1 AD was the start of the Dominic Age. It's when a war between the lands of the east fought the land of the west. It ended in a truce later on. It brought clarity and unity to both continents. The east brought religion and it was the start of the old cathedral which of course was destroyed in 828 AD. The west bought medicine and the human race began to grow stronger after 1 AD," Melchior took a breath.

Janus nodded. "Then the Dominic Age it is."

* * *

The blacksmith sat, staring at the blade of perfect balance and power. The katana was thin but there was no doubt in her mind that the blade could parry a great sword with little ease. The beautiful work and the time spent into making the blade so flawless had to be made by a master. No, the word 'master' was insignificant. Whoever created such a blade had to be a grand-master blacksmith.

"You haven't even touched the blade yet?" scowled Euphrosyne stepping into the forge. The room was surprisingly cool, about eighty degrees, and the light was far too dim. For fear of entering Thalia's domain in such low light, Euphrosyne stood in the doorway.

"No… I haven't," Thalia gently replied.

"Why not? When Noah returns he'll want an update. What will I tell him? This is completely unacceptable!" snapped the Chancellor of Inventions.

Gracefully turning her head to eye Euphrosyne, the Chancellor of Forging stared directly at her. The blacksmith didn't move other then that, but the movement put Euphrosyne on her toes. Even though Thalia's gaze wasn't threatening, she was a very dangerous woman. The inventor nearly jumped out of her shoes when Thalia spoke.

"Have you, my dear Euphrosyne, ever come across a great machine that was far beyond your skills to make? Then you were given that machine, not to study and not to improve," turning her head back to the sword, the blacksmith continued, "but to make two smaller and probably weaker versions of the creation. To finish it all up with the pressure of your lord telling you that you have to get those machines up and running as soon as possible. I'm sorry but I actually have to find the heart to even melt this piece of art."

Indeed, Euphrosyne understood the pain of destroying works of art that she couldn't even begin to create. Understanding the troubles the blacksmith was having, she didn't question her further. Having her own difficult tasks ahead of her, the inventor crossed her arms over her chest and bowed before her fellow chancellor, the common bow of parting.

Looking back to the inventor, a spark of inspiration washed over the blacksmith like a tsunami. Easily leaping the ten foot distance to the door, Thalia grabbed Euphrosyne's shoulder and spun her around and put her arms across her chest. Grinning, the Chancellor of Forging stalked back to the blade, whispering to the blade as if it was alive. Curiously, the inventor walked in to see what has come over the blacksmith.

Faintly, she heard her say, "Forgive me beautiful blade and forgive me great smith who forged this work. I swear by my ancestors, I will do my best to create a blade of equal beauty that I will call our own."

With that, the blacksmith slammed her hammer between the handle and the blade, removing the metal. Throwing the handle to the side, Thalia gently placed the blade into the forge. Within minutes, Rainbow was no more.

* * *

Kicking a rock over, Noah looked onwards into the jungles up ahead. For the past few days he'd been looking for the Dreamstone, which should be a commodity in this time period, to no avail. Long ago, Noah mastered the arts of being patience but even the most disciplined man has his boundaries. He was growing mentally tired of the search and physically wearily of the transport through time.

_Perhaps… the people here have already used the stones up for fuel to keep warm. The only extra about I can't touch, or I risk ruining this timeline, _thought the sorcerer. Without turning around, he sensed a presence behind him. Calmly, he drew his hood over his head, praying the wanderer wouldn't pose a threat.

"Magus, that you?" asked a man in a deep dialect.

Whispering a quick spell, Noah answered, "Yes I'm here. Don't come any closer or Ayla will be doomed. Actually, she still might be doomed. I was sent here by the others to collect a Dreamstone that can save her."

"Ayla in trouble. Kino help! What Deam… stone?" asked the prehistoric voice from behind the sorcerer.

Noah couldn't help but grin. Not only has the change voice spell created a perfect Magus voice, but if luck would have it, this caveman will be making life so much easier on him. Fate worked in so many different ways. Letting the suspense eat away at Kino, Noah waited until the simpleton demanded what the sorcerer wanted.

"WHAT DEAM STONE?" bellowed Kino waving his arms. Noah couldn't see him but he knew the caveman was flailing his arms about.

"Dreamstone. It's a very shiny, red rock," the sorcerer responded slowly.

"Red rock. Kino have. Kino go get it."

"I won't be here when you return," Noah paused, aiming his right hand in front of him. The air in front of the sorcerer began to contort and spin in a miniature cyclone. The grass before him flattened and the land was formed into a spiral.

"Bury the stone there. I'll be back for it later."

"Okay Magus," Kino excitedly said, running off to his settlement.

As soon as the sorcerer couldn't hear the caveman anymore, Noah grasped his brooch and began to chant quickly. He'd been gone too long and the time travel was taking its toll. Breathing deeply, Noah fell within himself and started weaving through the space around him. In another moment, he winked out of existence.

Stepping through the time weaved tapestry, Noah doubled over in exhaustion. Before he could hit the floor though, he was caught by a pair of rough but gentle hands. Euphrosyne softly lifted her lord up, which he kindly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her arms length away from him. A weak smile came to the sorcerer's lips.

"I'll have the Dreamstone by the morrow for you. While I'm searching for the Sunstone, I want you to begin on the invention," Noah said through several yawns.

The chancellor nodded and watched her lord walk off into the hall, leading to his private chambers. Once her lord was gone, she let out a long sigh. Reminiscing back a few hours ago, she remembered her conversation with Thalia. Euphrosyne had no room for errors for what her sire wanted from her. The machine must be ready as soon as Noah handed her a fragment of the Sunstone. Failure could mean great disaster.


	7. Chapter 7: The Dominic Age

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**The Dominic Age**

If onlookers were gazing at the starry night sky, they would've bare witness to a mystical flying bird made of metal that would have magically blinked into existence. The craft flew northwards and landed do south of the new castle. The youthful building was small and under construction but the soaring towers made the castle a sign of change. To Janus, it looked like a dump.

The prince and swordsman worked quickly, collecting fallen branches and other foliage to cover the Epoch. Satisfied with their work, the duo stalked the grounds, making their way to the southern incomplete section of the palace. A knock turned the prince on his heels, scythe out and at the ready. Beside a tree, Crono rapped again and pointed towards the main doors. The wizard shook his head.

Crono wanted to approach the new kingdom peacefully but Janus knew it wouldn't work. These folks of the west have just gotten over a war with the east. Strangers in the land would cause more problems than either of these time travelers wanted. They were here for information, nothing more.

Keeping to the shadows, the duo slipped into the new palace undetected. The castle was cold and dark with drafts coming from all sides. Each crack between the stones caused a breeze that could be felt to the very marrow. The prince covered himself with his cloak, while the swordsman began to rub his arms and chattering his teeth.

The noise was getting on Janus's nerves, so the wizard took the lead. After the quick sprint, something didn't feel right. Slowing down to a complete stop, the prince squint his eyes down the tunnel. Up in the dark hall, on the ceiling, appeared to be some type of rope.

Passing the wizard by and searching for some warmth the swordsman ran briskly trying to keep his blood flowing in his body. A shift in the floor was not noticed by Crono, as well as a strange hum that followed. Janus was aware and saw the rope began to give slack.

"Crono, look out! It's a…" before the prince could finish, a hidden battering ram log came out of its cubby in the ceiling, slamming into the chest of the surprised swordsman. The heavy log hit dead center on Crono's chest and the force lifted him up where he was slammed again into the ceiling. Once the log swung back, the red headed warrior fell, face first to the ground. He didn't make the slightest of moves.

"Trap," finished the wizard, stopping the pendulum log with his scythe.

Rolling the swordsman over with his foot, the prince saw that his fallen comrade's chest continued to rise and fall. _That had to hurt. So the mighty Crono is defeated by a simple trap._

Snapping out of his thoughts, Janus heard several footsteps heading his way. Sighing, Janus began a spell that would send all the foolish soldiers into the void. A hand grasped his ankle. With one eye open, his body shaking trying to keep conscious, Crono uttered one single word.

"Don't."

Growling, the prince stopped his spell and saw ten arrows pointed directly at his chest. Staring behind him, ten more soldiers were aiming to kill. If Crono didn't halt him from destroying the men in front of him, the soldiers from behind would've shot immediately. Dropping the scythe, the wizard slowly put his hands behind his head.

_Great. The mighty Magus is captured by peons. This is just not our week._

* * *

The old man rocked in his chair, pondering his next move. Activity has been coming out more in force from the north, obviously Noah's doing. Of course this could not be proven. How he wished he could get a spy in there. He continued to rock, stroking his long silver beard.

"Father, you sent for me," came a voice from behind him.

_Indeed, _thought the old man, placing his hands in his trench coat pockets. The lovely woman wasn't his daughter but he did keep her as close as one. That fact was all the more reason that making this decision and a grave one, so difficult. Slowly looking over his shoulder, he gazed into her youthful and gentle green eyes.

He couldn't do it. To ask her to go on such a dangerous mission that could take the life out of those emerald eyes was just too much for him. Turning his head back towards the fireplace in front of the chair, he began rocking; thinking about how to tell her it was a miscommunication error. She knew better though. The chair turned sharply, rotating the old man to face the woman.

"I can handle anything. What is it?" she asked, standing straight and tall, looking down at him without lowering her chin. Lifting his head up, he realized that no matter how much life was filled in her heart, her pride and honor will override his, or anyone else's, good judgment.

"Yes…" the old man dragged out the response, lowering his head, "Noah's domain has been… itchier than usual."

"I'll get one of our spies out there immediately," she stated, pivoting around, walking from the chamber.

"No. You will do it," the old man replied sharply. He turned his chair around. It was done. The order was issued and there could be no question or turning back.

It took the woman a long moment for his orders to settle in her mind. Few dare venture into the realm of the wind mage and less returned alive. It made perfect sense to send her to the front. What didn't fit was why he waited so long to act. Then it dawned on her.

He was like a father to her for a decade and a half, most of her life of twenty-one, and he didn't want her in harms way. She didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand, she was touched to have a man who loved her so much that he would rather risk his own life, rather than have her get hurt. On the other, he didn't trust her enough to get the information that she would easily and harmlessly acquire. Regardless, her father did tell her to do the mission. When a mission was set, the spy would have no choice but to do it and succeed.

This would be her first mission outside the caves as a spy. Running over, she spun the chair around and kissed her father on his forehead. Before she even had time to get out the door, she heard a sound from behind her.

"Demetera… please be careful."

* * *

Shaking like the caged animal that he was, Janus threw his body forward, only to have both his wrist shackles tighten and slam him back to the wall. Heaving deeply, the wizard snapped his head up, hearing snickering coming from the cell across from his own. The swordsman laughed all the louder as Janus tried to shout obscene words at him while being gagged.

Lying down on a fairly soft bed, Crono smiled brightly at his friend who was tied against the wall in the adjacent cell. The wizard was standing on his toes as the chains suspending him just above the floor. Their captors must not like spell casters, because they encased his mouth with tiny bits of twine at least a couple hundred yards long. All because Crono appeared to be a warrior, they just gave him a room with full access to the hole in the floor, bed, and food when it came.

Janus finally quit struggling and began to stare daggers at his suppose comrade. Crono made a face and wiggled his hands saying "ooooo".

_You did this to me… AGAIN! _thought the wizard, twitching his right eye.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Crono was done enjoying himself. Getting up from his cot, he walked over to the bars and smiled gently at the wizard. That act, of course, set the wizard into another flailing fit. Patting the air with his hands, in a motion to calm down, the swordsman tried to appear passive. Janus continued to breathe deeply but he did stop struggling in his bonds.

"Soon we'll see the royals. We'll make our move then," Crono softly said.

As if on cue, four knights in hard leather armor came to Crono's cell. Knowing the drill, he stepped back from the door, placing his hands behind his back. No fools to tricks, however, the soldiers ran in and pinned the swordsman down, binding his wrists. Holding still, Crono surrendered without a word of complaint.

Janus was a different story. As soon as a soldier stepped into the wizard's six foot reach, he kicked off the wall behind him and wrapped his powerful thighs around the soldier's neck. He didn't want to kill him. All he wanted was to watch the horror in his captor's eyes as he slowly lost his air.

The other three guards ran in and subdued the crazy wizard. Watching Janus struggle in the other cell, Crono could do nothing more than shake his head and smile. Even though the wizard just made it more difficult to talk their way out of their predicament, he still had to admire his friend's spirit.

"I don't want to go," sighed the beautiful queen.

* * *

"We have to. It's our duty to the court that you, yourself made," replied the equally handsome king.

"I know but I don't wish to judge these men and control their destinies."

The royalist smiled at his gentle wife. The white gown she wore both appeared to flow gracefully, yet it clung to her every curves. She was always beautiful, always gentle and always merciful. She has seen silver in every dark cloud and a good in every soul. Without her, the war with the east would still be raging on to this day.

Standing behind his queen, he stared into the large mirror on the vanity. He was physically fit and his tight royal robes had to be specially tailored for his muscles. His brown hair was long and wavy. While she appeared frail and gentle, he appeared large and powerful. So opposite, yet so spiritually the same.

Placing his hands on his wife's shoulders, the king smiled insincerely. He was torn between his own feelings and the good of the country. The fact that the two criminals could be spies or assassins from the rivaling country didn't set well with him. Yet, seeing his wife's exotic eyes made him feel more at ease. To show strength to the country of Guardia, his family's name, both royalists must be unified for every little matter.

"You don't have to go, my love," her husband stated, marching towards the door. As soon as his hand grasped the door knob, he leaned back, placing the back of his hand on his brow.

"Oh but what if I'm wrong? What if I send innocent men to our dungeons… or worse? Your wisdom could help these poor souls," paused the king, opening the door while continuing his dramatic act, "woe to me. What is a king to do without his queen?"

Smiling softly, the queen of Guardia understood her lover's point. His playful dramatics will always win her over. Getting up gracefully, she walked through the door her husband nobly kept open for her. Arm and arm, they headed down the stairs, to the two criminals.

* * *

Crono knelt patiently and quietly before the two empty thrones. Showing the respect of the two nobles who were on their way, he kept his head low and refuse to look up unless informed otherwise. He would have even crossed his right hand over his heart, if his hands weren't bound. The swordsman knelt, without moving a muscle and causing no trouble. His friend on the other hand…

Janus was surrounded by soldiers, forcing him to try to stay properly position. A knight kept the wizard's arms from moving, while two others struggled to keep one knee up and the other on the floor. The last soldier, the one Janus attempted to suffocate, kept his boot on the back of the wizard's neck, preventing from raising his head. Bound, gagged, and completely pinned, the wizard refuse to quit trying to get off the floor.

_This is ludicrous! I'm a prince, not some commoner!_

"And now announcing, his and her majesty, the King and Queen of Guardia," shouted a guard from behind the thrones.

Relaxing every muscle in his body, Janus pushed himself forward as he felt each soldier loss their balance and knew they were completely caught off guard. Refusing to be treated as some peasant, the prince tucked his knees to his chest, rolled forward, and brought up his arms from behind. Finally, Janus stood up to his full six foot height with his head held up high. In a split second, he fell right to his knees in shock.

The king of Guardia and his wife entered the room and sat on their appropriate throne. The king was a mirror image of Janus's rival king back, or actually forward, in the Middle Ages. Next to him, sat a beautiful woman, at least twenty winters with her smooth skin and silk white robes caused her to glow as brightly as the full moon. Her green eyes sparkled like the sea of stars and her hair was a gentle blue, as blue as the morning sky.

The prince shook his head. _Impossible,_ he thought. But there was no mistaking it. Before the wizard, seated right next to the ruler of the country of the Dominic Age, was his beloved sister. His eyes dropped to her stomach, causing his own to churn.

Noticing the prisoner has finally calmed down; the knights knelt before their liege. After a quick glance up, the swordsman knew better. Jumping up, Crono ran over to his friend who was slowly rising.

"No, don't," Crono snapped in harsh tones. The prince stood, towering over his comrade, ignoring him altogether. The swordsman had to think and fast.

The knights jumped up and charged at the duo but the prince was already running for the king. _I could strangle him with these ropes on my wrists, _the wizard thought. He would smile at the irony if they weren't covered by the twine. The wizard leapt in the air. The queen gasped in horror, two soldiers grabbed the swordsman.

"JANUS, STOP!" Crono screamed louder than he has ever done in his life.

The prince stopped short of his target, moving his head to align with his comrade, then to his sister. Schala's eyes went wide as she realized that not just the red headed hero, who she thought was killed by Lavos, was alive before her, but that the man who she thought was Prophet could be, no was, her lost baby brother. Shaking her head in disbelief, the queen of Guardia fainted.

A crushing blow struck the prince but he didn't care. He found his sister and it took the loose tongue of his comrade to tell his sister who he was. As if time was moving impossibly slow, he descended to the ground with thousands of memories rushing back to him. In his sister's eyes, he knew she recognized him, not as the Prophet, but as her brother. Cutting his lips on the twine, Janus smiled the first genuine smile in years. Then all was dark. In the back of his mind, he heard the king's command.

"Take them back to their cells."


	8. Chapter 8: Siblings Reunion

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Siblings Reunion**

Back in his cell, Janus hung even higher from the ground. The shackles have already drained the blood from his hands, causing sharp pains and a numbing sensation to his hands. The twine continued to cut thinly through the corners of his mouth and agonizing pain from his wrists holding up his weight, began causing his lungs to close up, reducing the intake of air into his body. He knew that he was slowly suffocating, similar to being crucified but he didn't care. He also knew that his hands ached, his gagged mouth caused more discomfort with his already suffocating position, and his head was still causing him to be disoriented do to the king's blow. Yet, he didn't notice any of it.

Lost and defeated, the prince hung in his cell, unmoving. His pale skin added to the perspective that he was lifeless. Janus recalled, as he has been doing for the past hour, the look in Schala's emerald eyes. Did she notice he was her younger brother? This wasn't what he wanted; not at all.

The wizard wanted to curse himself for his impatient foolishness but doing so wouldn't help him in the slightest. In fact, cursing his already cursed life wouldn't be the best move for him. Still, an assault on the king's men is an assault on the king. The soldier could have had him sentenced to beheading then and there, but now, after he actually assaulted the _king,_ his chances of living a longer life has been reduced to nothing.

_Wait. Maybe that law hasn't been invented,_ Janus beamed at that thought, appearing full of life. His head drooped a moment later. _With my luck, I'm the cause of them creating that law._

In the opposite cell, Crono leaned against the bars, resting his head on his forearm. Janus couldn't talk or move around but his body language spoke volumes to the swordsman. How their captors imprisoned his friend seemed very painful but he knew the pride of the prince wouldn't allow him to show any weakness. Crono believed that it would take all of his discipline not to even whimper if he was placed in that position. It appeared to Crono, that it wasn't Janus's strong will that kept him from withering in pain; it was the lack of spirit.

The swordsman sighed, completely at a loss. All he wanted was to help the people around him, yet all he really accomplished was leading all of his friends into danger. Gazing upon Janus, who seemed to have given up, he knew he would be losing another friend and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His only hope lied in one merciful soul.

* * *

"Do I know you?" asked the princess behind a cloaked figure.

"Yes…" the man responded, gliding when he turned around. "And no. You may have seen me but we haven't been introduced your majesty. I am called, Prophet."

Enwrapped in a large cloak, hood drawn, turned the pale man. He stood tall, his aura of pride making him appear as a giant. To the princess, he held himself high with a dark energy but for some reason unknown to her, she did not fear him.

"I feel as if we meet somewhere before," she declared.

Pulling back his hood, Prophet looked deeply into her eyes, showing her his own red, cold eyes. He didn't want to scare her, only to show her that he wasn't someone she wanted to be around, let alone get to know. Unmoving, the princess pondered where she met this albino looking man. He sneered, she jumped.

Drawing up his hood to block out the sting of the sun, he spun back around and walked away, believing the conversation closed. The princess remained where she was, watching him go. Figuring she didn't know him or if she even wanted to, the princess turned around and left in the opposite direction. The wind changed, cold and dreary, which made her glance over her shoulder. Prophet seemed to mirror her, gazing into her very being. A scream came from all around.

"JANUS!"

Schala awoke with a start, her mind racing to remember the fading dream and all that had transpired this evening. Within moments, her husband rushed in and embraced her closely, whispering kind words in her ear. She struggled to hold the dream but she could only focus on the two prisoners from earlier. The pale skin Zealian was indeed Prophet and no other but Crono could have that out-of-control red, spiked hair. _How could they be in the future? _She shook her head, not bothering with questions that could be answered from the source.

"Where are the two men?" she immediately asked.

"Both are in captivity. The red headed one will receive a second hearing, but at dawn, the blue haired assassin will be hung."

"NO! You can't do that Harold!" Schala screamed, pushing her husband away.

Harold could have resisted her shove, for he was five times stronger than she but never would he go against her wishes, also the sheer anger in her voice shocked him more than a little. However, he recovered quickly, giving his wife a puzzled look. She had never raised her voice to him or anyone for that matter. So why would she snap at him because of a lowly assassin?

"I'm sorry my love. It's just… do you trust me?" she said while gazing at the floor, ashamed at how childish she seemed. After a long moment of silence, she looked back up and saw Harold staring at her, as if the question was absurd. They made a vow that they would love, honor, and cherish each other. Gazing upon the man who has believed her since the day that they met; that he truly believed that she was once a princess of the past, of the magical kingdom of Zeal, she knew then that he would always believe her, that he would always trust her.

"Remember when I told you I'm not from here? I believe the blue haired man is Prophet while… it's difficult to believe but the red haired one is Crono."

"The man who nobly sacrificed himself to save you and his comrades from the beast's breathing weapon attack?"

"Yes. I must know what is going on. Please," Schala pouted.

It was a bad idea, he knew, for the one called Prophet tried to hurt or even kill him and the thought of him being alone with his wife was already driving him insane. He would have to be by her side when the two criminals have their meeting with her.

"I've sentenced Prophet to death," the king stated, matter-of-factly.

"I pardon him," Schala replied without skipping a beat.

* * *

A rat scurried between the swordsman's feet and into the vile latrine. Crono didn't care, more focused on his last living friend, who seemed far away at the moment. Seeing Janus defeated only made him feel angry. The prince reminded himself about his own moment of weakness on Mt. Masamune. His death would've given him relief, he thought, but the guardian of Limbo shown him that in killing himself would create dire consequences. _What if Janus giving up is viewed as suicide?_

"Some loving brother you are!" barked Crono, enraged by his last thoughts. The prince head snapped up, staring daggers at the swordsman.

"What did you expect? Schala is a loving soul and wouldn't have given her heart to just anyone. So who cares if he is magicless, there must been a reason she chosen him. Neither you, nor anyone else, can decide who she falls in love with," the swordsman paused for a minute, letting his words settle. "What would Schala think if you killed the man she loves…the father of her child?"

The lecture set the prince aback. He didn't know what to think of Crono and his words towards his foolishness but those words were a bit enlightening. Janus never thought about what his sister wanted but only focused his energy on his own position. Realizing his selfishness, he shut his eyes, cursing himself for his rash actions and not thinking with his head.

The swordsman nodded to himself, seeing the life return to the prince. He couldn't believe how hard he was on his friend and the realization that he hurt someone he cared about for his own selfish fears, disturbed him. _I'm sorry, Janus, but maybe now you will fight for your life._

"Introducing his majesty, King Harold Gaurdia," hollered a guard, bringing both prisoners out of their thoughts. The royalist entered the hall and shifted his eyes between the two men.

"Crono?" he asked the red-headed man. After a nod in agreement, the king turned to the blue-headed man. "Prophet?"

Janus didn't answer immediately. His sister must have told the king to call him that or she truly didn't believe he was her brother. It didn't matter to the prince. Janus set his violet eyes on the king, searching for acceptance. This man before him was magicless; barbaric due to his huge frame and he was in need of a shave. With a sigh, the prince realized no one would be good enough for his sister. _At least he has royal blood._

After the wizard gave his nod, the king announced. "They are pardoned of all crimes against them," and to the prisoners. "The queen believes neither of you will attack either of us. I will have both your words that you won't. Her majesty wishes to speak with you two, so it is in your best interest not to pose a threat to this kingdom again."

The duo gazed at each other and then back at the king. In unison, they nodded. Guards opened both the cells with Crono stepping out but keeping a good distance from the king. A knight walked up to Janus with a dagger and carefully cut the twine from his mouth and moved along to a crank to lower the wizard down. Finally, the knight unlocked the shackles, freeing the prince completely.

The feeling of freedom wasn't pleasant for Janus. Blood began to rush back into his hands; his lungs were on fire and his mouth continued to bleed from the corners of his lips. The prince thought he heard the king say "let's go" but the darkness began to engulf him. Gritting his teeth, he refused to give in but the pain was too much for him to bear. He collapsed, face first to the stone floor, shattering his nose in a hundred bits. He didn't notice.

* * *

The picture was an exacted duplicate of the lost prince of Zeal, Schala's baby brother, which rested in a locket that the queen rarely removed. Beside it were a blank parchment and some chalk and charcoal. Curiosity peek her on. Never before did she think to draw Janus Zeal as a grown man. First she began with an oval, sharp at the bottom, just like her father's chin. Then she created a 'V' at the top, similar to her father's willow peek.

The rest of the face came to her smoothly, as handsome as she knew her cute brother would become. In the middle of the picture, half-way done with the nose, a thought came to her. What if life wasn't kind to him, that he may have been thrown into a harsh environment? Chalking out and lightening up the brow, she began to give the face a more malnourished look. Keeping the skin as white as snow, she caved in the eyes and shadowed the eyelids. Lifting his cheeks to form a bonier appearance, she finished off the face by thinning the lips. The resemblance was uncanny.

The queen of Gaurdia dropped the charcoal and sprinted out of her room, through the hall, and down the stairs. Thousands of thoughts and emotions swirled inside of her but she knew that she had to get to Crono and Prophet. If Prophet was her brother, she now understood why he attacked Harold, for Janus was always a protective lot. If he had the chance, he might attack Harold again and if he harmed the king of Gaurdia, she couldn't stop the wheels of law from spinning. She would lose Janus again.

She stopped her run in the doorframe leading into the throne room, seeing Harold escorting Crono who had Prophet draped across his shoulders. Immediately Schala rushed over to the unconscious Zealian and softly chanted a spell. Her hand began to glow a soft green before she laid her hand on the prince. All wounds began to mend but Janus remained unconscious. With child, she dared not offer anymore magic.

"Come, let's get him comfortable," Schala stated, taking the lead and returning from which she came.

Crono followed shortly after, yet the king remained behind. Something about the sorrow in his wife's eyes game him pause. What he had heard from Schala, Prophet was a wise and dark wizard, a man she didn't want to know. So why did she seemed to care so much for him now? Shaking his head of the speculations, he would get his answer in time.

* * *

A light hazed his vision, causing a halo upon a lone figure. Curls of blue danced on her shoulders and emerald green eyes gazed into his, opening his heart to the tranquil feeling of seeing her. A broad smile spread across his face, feeling the warmth of love that he hadn't felt in a decade. It had to be a dream, so he reached up to touch the angel's face, expecting her to vanish. His frozen hand warmed suddenly, as the blood in her cheek began to share her body heat to his hand.

His eyes widened in shock; she didn't disappear and she was warm to the touch. Enwrapping her like a child who hasn't seen his parents in months, he held on tight, praying for this dream to never end. Tears began to roll down his bony cheeks. His eyes stung from that foreign action but he didn't mind. All that mattered was this moment.

"So, it must be true. He must be your brother," a gruff voice said from the prince's left.

Whipping his head up in alert, Janus saw the speaker, the first King of Gaurdia, sitting in a chair by a large vanity. Behind his sister stood his comrade-in-arms, with a soft smile across his face. It was all coming back to him and this wasn't a dream. He really was holding his sister and if he wanted to continue to keep that smile on her face, he had to calm immediately from the embarrassing situation. Swallowing his pride, he brushed away his tears and rose from the bed, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Crono told us everything, even though I have a hard time believing some parts of his story. The only thing he couldn't tell us in detail is your life in the Middle Ages," Schala smiled at her brother.

"In Crono's time period, as he and his friends were ignorant enough to call the 'Present', they were from the First Millennium. We were born, according to history as the Dark Ages. This time period will be known as the Dominic Age. But the time period I was thrown into was a barbaric age, so yes, one would say I grew up in the Middle Ages."

"I still can't believe it. Y… you really are my baby brother," Schala stammered, getting up to stare into his violet eyes.

"Not exactly baby brother anymore. We're separated by a few years now," the prince replied with a snicker.

"Please, I would like to hear about your life. Surviving the Mystics must have been something," she softly asked. The prince backed away from her as if she had the plaque. He couldn't tell her all the dark deeds he's done. Even if it was just to survive and to find his way back to her. This was exactly the reason he'd stayed quiet while around Schala when he was the Prophet back in the Dark Ages.

"I can't. Let's just say, I had a rough childhood," he finished, wrapping himself in his cloak.

"I doubt it could be all that bad. You ran a group of creatures into a war with our descendants," Harold jabbed in.

"Gaurdia was already at war," Janus snapped back. "Also, I had no idea King Gaurdia the Thirteenth was a Zealian!"

"They worshiped you as a king or god. They killed in your name!"

"Because they were fools! Do you think if I truly ran the mystics that I would continue that war!"

That final statement brought a smile to the king's face. The prince became slack jawed at the simple, obvious trap he fell into. Harold knew Janus wouldn't open up unless he was backed into a corner and most importantly, regardless with all the evil he has done, he didn't wish harm on anyone. The best part of it all, his sister may not wish to push the conversation forward, which in turn would make him appear to be someone she would want to be near. All thanks to this man he was quick to judge because of his blood. With a nod, the prince silently thanked the king, who returned that nod.

"What about you?" asked Janus, taking full advantage of the distraction. "How did you get here?"

"When I sent you, Marle, and Frog away from the Ocean Palace, Lavos tore open several more gates. I fell into one and ended up in the middle of a war. Harold saved me," Schala smiled at her husband as she continued to reminisce that day. "He said, 'an angel has appeared' and then he jumped in front of me and fought off all who were around. Ever since, I guess I found my knight in shiny armor. But… I didn't care for the war…"

"So she stopped it!" the king bellowed, while slapping Crono in the back. "A grand peace came a few years later. We're even building a cathedral, along with this castle, because of the religion that the west brought over."

Janus digested it all. He knew his sister would be a great leader if she put her mind to it but he still couldn't believe she could unite two countries. Unlike he who may not have wanted the war in the Middle Ages but neither did he do anything to stop it. His sins were more from the things he didn't do, rather than the things he did do. Another reason his sister would not be proud of him.

"I'm proud of you. Crono told us how brave you were while ridding the future of Lavos and protecting that future for our descendants. Also, you said that I could help bring back your lost friends."

Staring to his comrade, the prince was beginning to wonder how long he been out and how much the swordsman told them. Crono has done much more for the wizard than anyone he knew, himself included. Now he was united with his sister and just being with her for such a brief time, he felt that the swordsman should be rewarded but the fact was…

"Perhaps. It's a long shot but do you have a Chrono Trigger or know how to make one?" the prince asked his sister.

The queen looked at him in shock. Only the Guru of Time would have the knowledge for such an instrument and they would spend their entire lifetime creating one. Gazing into her brother's cold violet eyes, she could see that he knew it was a guess and now he wished it wasn't so. Turning to the man that saved her life, she could see that she was his only hope. Schala closed her eyes and shook her head.

The prince swung around to his comrade and for the first time, the swordsman appeared defeated to the wizard. His body slumped to the chair next to Janus, his face reversed from his usual grin to a scowl. He lost everyone he has ever cared about and to make matters worst, he was the one who lead them to their graves.

The sight tugged at the wizard. A memory came to him then, one of a beautiful woman with long flowing purple hair and huge spectacles. It made no sense to him before on why he loved her and missed her so. They were opposites, from different worlds, yet he had never felt more complete when he was by her side. Her intellect match his own but their belief made them clash more than once, with her belief always siding with science, a magic he hated to admit that it was far beyond him, and his belief of elemental force magic was better than her science.

Lucca. The name still sent a sting into Janus's soul. Love never made sense to the wizard but love was of the heart, and the heart, his heart, never led him astray. He always followed his heart, even if it was the love of his sister that pushed him on to find her again or the pain of loss that set his sights on the beast known as Lavos. But he had to admit to himself, and his heart, that in following his beliefs and rage may have cost him more than he wanted. Lavos's defeat was satisfying but was Lucca's life worth his own selfish desires?

"I figured as much. Then we move on to plan B," he paused to see everyone's reactions. Harold's expression never changed but Crono's head popped up in a second, hearing another string of hope be announced. Schala, too, brightened on what Janus had in mind.

"Back in the Dark Ages, I came across a temple that held our father's spirit, Schala. His soul seems to be tormented and only together can we free his…"

"Let's go then," Schala interrupted, clapping her hands together.

"You can't my love. I'm sorry to hear about your father but you can't leave your kingdom behind. Besides, you are in no condition to go anywhere,' Harold protested immediately.

"But…"

"No Schala, your husband is right. It maybe moot anyways. I returned to the temple after treating Crono from some wounds he endured," the prince paused again, keeping his audience focused on him. "The temple was deserted. I figure this one character that goes by the name, Noah, has done something to our father but I can't be sure. So I need to burrow the darkest, most magical room in this castle."

"No," Schala gasped and then forcefully said, "No!"

"What is it love?" the king asked, knowing his wife's tone all too well.

"He wishes to perform a summoning," she stated, getting a clarifying nod from her brother.

Both Crono and Harold seemed confused at the statement but the look Janus and Schala exchanged to one another told them it was serious. Knowing Janus as Crono does, every action the wizard had ever done was serious… and dangerous.

"You'll have to trust me," the prince grinned. Now it was official to the swordsman, for whenever the wizard grinned or said 'trust me', it meant one thing. Trouble.


	9. Chapter 9: Unexpected Meeting

**CHAPTER NINE**

**Unexpected Meeting**

The forest air was crisp and cool, perfect weather for the large insects to come out of their holes to feast without fear of their natural predators being about this night. Crawling from behind two bushes a couple of giant beetles scurried into the open trail. As they moved about, looking for smaller insects, they paused as an unnatural occurrence began happening before them.

As the air and reality started to bend, appearing as if a door was shimmering into existence, the creatures fled for cover. Something raw, powerful, was coming and the weak beetles didn't want their own existence to come to an end. All of the woods went silent as Noah and Euphrosyne stepped through their dimensional weave.

The woodland was thick and even the trails were showing hints of overgrowth. In all the forests in the world, Euphrosyne felt this specific forest seemed older and purer than any other she's ever seen. Taking in the sights as much as possible, the Chancellor of Inventions began wandering about, losing herself in the serenity of nature. Noah had more pressing matters to deal with.

Moving his hand in a circle, the sorcerer spun, focusing on the presence of magic that would be around. Summoning the power of the Black Wind, Noah felt a strong pull towards the north and south. Using his second acquired power—that of Spekkio—the sorcerer closed his eyes so he could focus, sending out his foresight to the north. Balancing both techniques became ever draining on Noah, but he knew that his dreams depended on his success.

Upon investigating the north, Noah saw in his mind's eye, an array of colored light, similar to seeing that of the Aurora Borealis. Swiftly did he turn south, immediately knowing that the Rainbow Shell was to the north but it, even with all of its natural power, was not the item that he was searching for. Focusing back to the south, the young wind mage locked onto the second magical source. In an instant, the wind mage was blasted off his feet as the sight of a brilliant light, as bright and magnificent as the sun itself, slammed directly into Noah's mind. Immediately, Euphrosyne was there, by his side and helping her lord up to his feet.

"Where are we?" the chancellor began but quickly changed the question. "What happened, my liege?"

"Worry not about me," Noah snickered while dusting himself off. Even though he would've preferred his chancellor to worry about him first, he also knew that she believed nothing could truly harm him.

"As for your first question, we are in Gaurdia Forest. As for the second, I am more than well," the sorcerer paused to grin the wickedest grin that Euphrosyne has ever seen on her lord. "The Sunstone isn't far from here. Let's go."

* * *

"What on God's green earth is he doing!" cried King Gaurdia as the very ground below him continued to shake.

The noble held on tightly to his throne, so tightly in fact that his knuckles were whitening in their grips of the throne's arms. The beautiful Queen Schala, on the other hand, couldn't remain seated as the room quivered beneath her. Before she slammed into the stone floor, the dexterous swordsman was there, catching her in mid-fall. Holding her by her hand and shoulder, Crono pushed his shoulder over her, using himself as a shield from the debris that fell from above.

"Your brother is going to doom us all!" the king howled through the rumbling. To Crono, that sounded exactly like Janus.

Meanwhile deep in the darkest dungeons of the castle of Gaurdia, no earth could be felt moving and only a gentle breeze flown through the dank crevice. As the wind blew his cape just slightly, the wizard extended his arms wide as if he was expecting to embrace someone. A black gate, darker than the shadows that surrounded the wizard, began to open to another plane. A beast of great proportions exited the portal, not appearing pleased or impressed in the slightest.

Janus lowered his arms before the demon, though it wasn't the weak creature he desired but he had to take what was given to him. Without even flinching as the demon starting attacking him, Janus felt confident that his circle would hold. Indeed, it did. As the great beast made of an oily substance continued its assault against the barrier, Janus just looked nonchalantly at his glove that he began to adjust. Even though the creature was beyond his control, the only thing the wizard could think of is that his gloves never would fit properly.

Now realizing that he couldn't break the barrier—since the first thing out of the ordinary he noticed was the pentacle was a hexagram and thinking the wizard erred in his designs—the demon took a step back. He knew the wizard was an odd one with how he created the gate but this mortal was obviously not unaccustomed to his kind or a least the depths of the void. For the demon to return home, he had to be dismissed, so he would listen to the foolish mortal.

"Are you done?" the wizard said passively as he adjusted his other glove. "You aren't the one I summoned. Who might you be?"

The demon who was no fool kept his mouth closed. Any mortal who knew the demon's name could summon that specific demon and would have some control over it. When the gate opened to the plane of Limbo—Dizalu the great demon tossed aside his weaker servant demon—so he could step through the gate himself to destroy the summoner. Though this wizard was a crafty one, he wouldn't be able to outwit the demon of eons.

"Alright," Janus began as he leaned on his scythe. "In the distant past, a Saturn Zeal lived—"

"YOU MORTALS! LIMBO HAS NO NEED FOR TIME! 'PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE' ARE IRRELAVENT! TIME, HA, DOESN'T EXSIST. IT IS NOTHINGNESS!" the demon bellowed, shaking the room with his booming voice. In response, Janus lifted his pinky into his ear, turning it ever so often.

"Whatever. Humor me. It may have been yesterday to you or it may not have happened yet, but I need the service of Saturn Zeal," the wizard calmly stated without taking his eyes off the beast.

"YOU'RE NOT LIKE THE OTHERS WHOM SUMMONED ME. ACTUALLY," the demon paused, trying to see a memory or perhaps a premonition. Either way, it seemed to notice something familiar with the wizard, "YOU. I'VE SEEN YOU BEFORE. ANOTHER FOOLISH MORTAL RISKED HIS ETERNAL SOUL FOR YOUR LIVING BODY."

Janus placed his chin in the palm of his hand as he nodded about the information that was given. The wizard was, though his calm expression didn't show it, was surprised about this turn of events. As luck would have it, that same demon that may have helped him out of the realm of lost souls. How coincidental things been happening, always that seemed to lead back to Noah.

"I can see you long for your home, so please, don't bother me with useless information. Saturn Zeal was banished from the Temple of Black long ago, correct? And I would like to know who did it?" though Janus was only guessing, he felt positive in his observations.

"YES, HE HAS FAILED AS GAURDIAN OF THE TEMPLE. THE ONE WHOM BANISHED HIM WAS A MORTAL NAMED, NOAH," Janus opened his mouth to, perhaps, ask another question, but the demon was already far ahead of him. "NO, YOU MAY NOT SPEAK TO SATURN ZEAL NOR CAN YOU EVER FREE HIM. UNLIKE YOU, HE WAS NOT OF FLESH AND BLOOD."

The news felt like it would put the wizard on his heels but with his mental discipline, Janus stood his ground. Even though he was anything but at that moment, Janus stood up to his complete six foot height, lifting his chin with great pride. The demon was not intimidated and it even seemed extremely annoyed. With a grin, the wizard whispered the single word that the beast been waiting to hear the second he got to this plane.

"Dismissed."

The demon leapt back into the gate, causing the foundation of the palace to tremble once more. Diving for cover as some large stones fell from the ceiling, Janus wondered if his sister was alright. Surprisingly enough, the wizard wasn't looking forward to telling Crono that he had no way of saving his friends from the grueling fate of Lavos.

* * *

The sight was pitiful. The swordsman fell to his knees and began to sob with the harsh reality of the life they lived. Janus gave his comrade some credit; though he sobbed he didn't shed a single tear. Though the sight of Crono, the 'leader' breaking down was sad, it hit a cord with the wizard. A painful memory came to the wizard that of a boy lost in a new world where he had no one to condole in. It wasn't a pleasant memory and it just aggravated the wizard even more.

"Get up, Crono, we don't have time for this," Janus crudely commanded.

"Janus," Schala gently said while lifting a hand to halt her brother from saying any more inconsiderate words. If the wizard was any other man, he would've bowed out but the dark wizard wouldn't bow to anyone, not even his own sister. Still, for her sake, he tempered his voice for the swordsman.

"It's alright, Crono," Janus strained the words out, even twitching and eyebrow as he continued. "Though we can't help our friends, we could at least have a talk with the one who destroyed our only chance we had."

It was suppose to be comforting but it was more than that to Crono. Those words set a fire off in the swordsman, one that the wizard never seen in Crono but has seen in himself, that of revenge. As silent as death, Crono rose from his position, ready to move out.

"Janus, you just got here. Can't it wait?" Schala asked sweetly, hoping her charms could detour her brother's course.

"You know they can't stay my love," King Gaudia spoke in, drawing his wife's attention to him. "This Noah had personally attacked your family. Janus has to go, to get his answers."

Schala smiled at her husband and nodded her concurrence, while—when no one but the king was looking—Janus also nodded at the noble for his understanding. The wizard wanted nothing more than to stay with his sister and maybe to take some time to get to know her husband more. He hated to admit it to himself and never would he say it aloud, the more he got to know Harold Gaurdia, the more he actually liked the man.

"I will return to visit but I know not how long I'll be gone..." before the wizard could finish the beautiful queen rose and wrapped her arms around her lost brother. The warm feeling was welcoming and a distant memory, almost forgotten, begged Janus to return the embrace. Damn his pride, only for that moment. Without missing a beat, the wizard returned the hug gently, worrying that his strength, if not controlled, could harm his sister or her unborn child.

A cough from behind broke the sibling's loving embrace. With a warm smile, Janus mouthed 'I love you' to his sister before turning to the waiting swordsman, whom had a stupid grin on his face. The genuine smile on Janus's face vanished with a deep scowl aimed at his comrade. Regardless of the silent death threat, both swordsman and wizard marched out of the castle of Gaurdia to the time machine, Epoch. Neither noticed Janus's handiwork of that of both southern towers, young of stone, were nothing but a pile of rubble. It would take a century to fix the damage that Janus's magic has caused.

"Why are we heading to the present?" asked Crono as they were already flying through the time stream.

"I like these controls better. The First Millennium Age sounds better than the present. Anyways, we need to search for Noah somewhere. If we go to the First Millennium, we can then work our way backwards," Janus answered as the Epoch exited time-space.

Flying the machine south some, the wizard landed on a small peninsula that homed Lucca's parents. If Noah was around, the wizard figured that Taban may know something, at least in Truce. Both men headed to the house of the great inventor. However, before they reached the door, Crono lifted an arm up to his friend. A quick glare from Janus followed, which the swordsman only shook his head.

"They know their daughter is dead," Crono whispered to the wizard, which settled the anger that began to build somewhat. "Let me talk to them. I can be more—"

Both snapped their heads to the door as a groan of pain came from that direction. The duo rushed the door. Crono was first, slamming his shoulder against the wood, splintering the portal at its hinges. The wizard charged in a heartbeat later, navigating his way through hundreds of books on the floor to the table where Taban was laying on. The inventor was not in the best shape. Appearing as if he was beaten into submission, Janus was still relieved that he was still alive.

"Taban," Crono whispered as he finally reached the poor man. "What happened?"

"W-wind. So much… wind. Look at… the mess," Taban weakly said.

It took everything Crono had to suppress a smile. Lucca's and Taban's place was always a mess but upon closer inspection, the books weren't in there normal stacks. They were actually scattered in disarray like…

"It looks like a hurricane blew through here," Crono spoke his thoughts aloud.

"Noah," the wizard nodded.

An explosion sounded outside, which had the swordsman running out of the house. Janus would've followed to see what caused that sound but a part of him felt he needed to stay. Needed to stay for the woman he loved, for her father. Taban reached out and Janus snatched it in a firm grip.

"Lucca's friend," the inventor managed to say in one long wheeze.

"Yes, I was. I'm sorry, I couldn't save her."

"It isn't… our duty… to control someone… else's fate. You couldn't save… her… and you can't… save…"

At that moment, the inventor's hand began to loosen. His words struck Janus hard. He lost Lucca, he couldn't save her. Grasping Taban's hand tightly, Janus didn't know what to do. All he knew was that he would be damned if he would lose Taban.

Suddenly, a green glow appeared in the wizard's hand and began pulsing into the inventor. Janus was wide-eyed, darting his eyes from his hand to Taban, shocked to believe what was happening but he wouldn't let go. In moments, Taban was up and off the table, looking as if he only took a punch in the face.

"How in the world?" Taban began but Janus was already out of the house.

The second the wizard stood beside Crono, the swordsman looked at his friend, asking the silent question about what took him so long. Janus seemed completely oblivious of Crono. The wizard didn't want to think about what just transpired. Never before could Janus cast any healing magic and no matter how hard he tried not to think about it, he thought about it all the more. Almost as an unconscious move, Janus lifted his gloved hand to stare at it hard, expecting it to do something else.

"Over there," Crono pointed over the ocean to the next continent.

The distraction was what the wizard needed. The sun was rising in the east, which helped the wizard see the outline of smoke coming from the south. The smoke was coming from the church.

"Noah," both men said in unison and strangely enough, in a very similar death tone.

The Epoch was tricky to land in the thick forest but Crono was more than capable of maneuvering the craft to the ground. Hopping out of the craft, the duo rushed to the fallen nuns who were outside the church, sitting against some trees. They were dazed but they didn't seem harmed. With an exchanged nod, both men charged into the church, full steam.

Turning his attention from Euphrosyne to the visitors, Noah tilted his head. As he seen the two interrupters enter, the sorcerer waved his hand to send his chancellor away with her strange device. The young sorcerer knew that she still needed time to complete the device with the newly acquired Sunstone shard and he was very interested in his guests. Euphrosyne headed to one of the private chambers as the duo continued their approach.

With a wave of his hand, the wind mage cause a sudden, extremely powerful gust of wind at the two guests. Janus was ready this time, embedding his scythe into the floor and holding on tight from the hurricane. Crono, on the other hand, wasn't ready for the quick reaction from Noah. The wind lifted him off his feet and blew the poor swordsman out of the church's double doors, which slammed shut the moment he was out. And to keep him out, Noah adjusted his wind so it blew back to him and back at the doors in two separate forces of winds, sending rows of benches against the doors as a barricade.

"I'm not impressed," Janus sneered as he retrieved his scythe from the floor.

"This is a most unexpected meeting. Last I checked, I left you three stranded at the End of Time," Noah returned that sneer with one of his own.

"I'm full of surprises," the wizard taunted.

As quickly as his hands could move, Janus began casting a spell. Instead of trying to outcast the wizard, the wind mage enfolded himself in his cloak. Pointing at Noah at the end of his spell, Janus released a rolling ring of fire at his nemesis. The fire hit Noah full force. Noah wasn't harmed in the slightest. Once the fire ended, the wind mage through open his cape and begun casting his own spell.

Janus also began casting but inside he cursed himself for not realizing that his enemy was wearing a fire resistant cloak. Why else would it be red? It was moot anyways as Janus managed to get his Magic Wall up in time for Noah's spell.

"Yes Indeed!" Noah cried as two yellow cyclones entrapped Janus and flung him hard against the ceiling and began to suck him back down so he would slam into the ground even harder than when he hit the ceiling. Janus remained motionless, defeated. With a snicker, Noah couldn't believe it was so easy to defeat the legendary Magus. He was just going to see his chancellor before he heard whispers from behind. Turning back around, Noah couldn't believe that he let his pride rule over his better judgment.

Smiling evilly, Janus was glad that the sorcerer fell for such a simple trick like playing possum. It gave him enough time to risk casting a long, powerful spell. Unlike the wind attack Noah use, it was minuscule compare to the endless void that Janus had planned for him. Bringing forth all of the darkness, all of his power, all of his energy, the dark prince release his terrible force of Dark Matter. Nothing happened except that the wizard fell to his knees, panting for every breath.

"That's it!" Noah whole-heartedly bellowed. "You couldn't have gotten a better chance at me than at that moment. So now it ends, Magus. Let me show you some of my real power!"

Janus closed his eyes, accepting whatever Noah was going to do. He was weakened, ironically by the drain of his own spell that failed. Noah's chant filled the dark prince's ears but all Janus could think about was Schala. As his last seconds neared there was only one thing Janus thought. _Schala, I'm sorry. I'm not coming back._

"Prismatic Eraser," Noah called but Janus wouldn't open his eyes nor would he bow his head.

The agony the prince felt, as if every cell in his body was being ripped apart. Never had Janus felt such pain. But he refused to scream, refused to open his eyes, refuse to bow to this young delinquent. His blood felt like it turned to acid and his body felt like it was going to explode. Then, it was over and Janus welcomed the darkness of the beyond.


	10. Chapter 10: Noah's Kingdom

**CHAPTER TEN**

**Noah's Kingdom**

"Damn you, Noah!" the swordsman cried as he continued to slam his shoulder against the stubborn doors that just wouldn't budge.

Again, Crono got a running start, throwing all of his weight into his shoulder. The doors didn't give even an inch. As the swordsman took a breather, a bright light flashed out of the shrine's windows. Something bad had happened to his last living friend, Crono felt it in his soul.

Taking many paces back, the swordsman had enough of being useless. With a quick sprint, Crono leapt high into the air with his katana tip pointing downwards. Down he came, embedding the sword right between the double doors. Without skipping a beat, Crono lifted his arms up, calling forth the powers of the heavens. In a blink of an eye, a bolt of lightning struck the sword, blasting the barricade in as well as the strong doors.

Picking up his katana as he burst into the chapel, Crono almost stopped in his tracks as he noticed the whole room was not what it was when he entered. The walls, ceiling, floor; everything that had color was no more than a room painted white. The wooded benches, though scorched by the lightning, were also white. Even the once stain glass windows were just one pure color of white. If the swordsman wasn't watching where he was walking, he wouldn't have kicked the lump in the middle of the aisle, that of his friend Janus.

Wide-eyed in shock, the swordsman quickly flipped the wizard around. Unbelievably, Janus too, was without any color except white. Janus's hair was stark white as well as his chest plate and cape. His skin, Crono knew, couldn't become any whiter but that only added to Janus's appearance of a dead human being in his arms.

Crono didn't have much time, so quickly did he concentrate on Janus's life force searching for his friend's spirit. A smile came to the swordsman as he wasn't surprised that the stubborn wizard wouldn't give up his life without a fight. If Janus's spirit felt it wanted to move on...

Crono shook that thought out of his head, lifting his arms high again, calling forth the powers of the heavens. A moment later, a ray of sunlight shined from a window and covered the wizard in a golden glow. A groan escape Janus's lips as his eyes fluttered open. He was alive. Sitting up quickly, the wizard raced to remember his last few moments. His spell failed and Noah casted a nasty spell right back at him.

_Noah!_ the prince thought, searching for his Doom Sickle. Only then did he realize the lack of color in the room. Spitting out his platinum hair, Janus stood but swiftly pulled some of his hair in front of his eyes. How quickly his eyes became inflamed of seeing his once beautiful blue hair being no more than the color of a man five times his age.

"Prismatic Eraser," the wizard whispered, remembering Noah's final words.

With a large grin, Crono handed his friend his whitened scythe. Feeling the weight of the item, Janus noticed its magic was no more. Too heavy it felt now. As useless as it was, it was still the only physical weapon he had. Placing it along his back, the prince turned to his comrade to ask about Noah but a surge of energy flooded out from a private chamber.

A tidal wave of gray mist engulfed the room, inverting the colors before their eyes. White became black and red became off-green. Similar to a negative photo, both the wizard and swordsman felt their limbs freeze up for only that immediate second. A black light that was difficult to see in the inverse began to glow from the duo's necks. Janus was quick to grab his amulet that Schala gave him long ago and Crono was curious about the pendant that belonged to his lost Marle shining darkly on his neck. Both stared at the other in disbelief.

"What's happening?" Crono had to ask, though his voice came out very slowly.

Janus didn't bother to answer the question. He knew Crono would have no idea what was happening but the wizard experienced something like this before. Upon Death Peak—a journey Janus himself started—the wizard, Marle and Glenn the frog traveled up to the summit to save Crono from his fate of death by the power of Lavos. It worked. The trio, with the help of Gasper's time egg, they were able to travel back to a frozen moment in time, right before Crono's demise. That frozen moment was inversed like it was now.

To test his theory, the wizard held out his scythe and let it go. The item remained suspended, unmoving from this moment in time. Crono was just about to say something before the wizard grabbed his weapon and floated swiftly towards the room from which the event happened. With a shrug, Crono followed.

Bursting into the private chamber for one of the nuns, Janus slashed out, hoping to connect with Noah's back. But no one was in the room. The room was deserted with the exception of a shimmering door, appearing like a time gate. Again, Crono was going to say something but Janus wasn't going to waste any time. Through the gate the wizard flew, Crono following suit shortly after.

The tunnel that the duo entered felt different than the time gates they've traveled in before. During their time traveling, the gates felt like they were falling and at a fast rate. This gate felt like they were slowly walking through a large invisible spider web that gently pulled on their hair and irritated their skin. After several moments of weaving through the gate, the wizard finally exited, preparing himself for anything.

Anything didn't include what he saw. All around the wizard, soared many pillars and walls, decorated with rich silk crests and expensive tapestries. The stone floor was smooth with a large red carpet from two large oak doors to a very large golden throne, lined with red velvet cushions. Crono finally left the portal, running back and forth trying to remove webs where there were none.

Another movement from the floor had Janus snapping his attention to a beautiful woman, wrapped in a white robe. She was rising from her knelt position with an expression of shock on her face. Janus ran just a bit passed and to the side of the woman, stopping suddenly to whip his elbow back that connected to the back of her skull, stopping her before she could call for help.

Crono moved hastily to his friend, giving the wizard a disappointed look. In response, Janus coolly pointed passed the swordsman, towards two large stain glass windows where in the center of those windows was a man, youthful, holding himself proudly with a red flowing cape and a golden crown on his brow. Immediately, Crono understood and also knew that where they were was not a place to be with the both of them being fatigued. They ran.

"Halt trespassers!" a strong voice boomed from around a corner.

Neither the wizard nor the swordsman wanted to confront any guards, so they ran all the more harder away from the intersection. As a rhythmic beat, the ground was still one moment and the next it was shaking. Taking a glance back, the swordsman saw three men holding huge spears, dressed in full platemail—leaping of all things—high into the air and landing hard to the ground, only to leap again. If Crono didn't know any better, he would've thought they were related to Glenn. The knights continued their jumps, gaining tremendous ground.

Tiring of running, the prince turned around, casting a powerful spell towards the trio. Crono didn't have time to see what his friend was doing for he knew these three would likely kill them. Lifting his hands up, Crono felt the power he needed to tap into to stop these men. Janus finished his spell, pointing up to the three knights in flight. In unison, both the wizard and swordsman let loose a maelstrom of lightning that focused on the metal of the knights. Crono flinched as he watched the knights get struck by not one but two massive Lightning Two spells. When the lightning storm finally ended, only the swordsman and wizard remained standing.

Janus continued his run while Crono winced at the jerking spasms from the three men. He hoped none of them were dead but it was difficult to tell when a body has been shocked. Crono would've begun casting his spell of life until he heard his friend from a distance.

"An open window," the wizard called from below a window, cupping his hands in front of him.

Crono knew he had to leave the knights, for he knew Janus well. If the swordsman wasted any time, the wizard would leave him behind. He did it twice already. Racing to the wizard, Crono pumped his legs harder during each stride, landing a foot on Janus's hands that shot upwards. It was high, maybe thirty feet, but Crono manage to snatch the edge of the windowsill; lifting himself up. When the swordsman turned to offer a hand to his friend, Janus was already levitating up to him.

"Jump," Janus instructed.

Crono looked at his friend skeptically and then out the window. A hundred foot drop into a dirty moat wasn't a pleasant thought. Still, he had to get out of this castle. Plugging his nose, Crono leapt from the window, hearing a chuckle as he fell. Only then did Crono realize that his friend was still levitating and could've carried them both to safety.

* * *

Several minutes after Crono and Janus's exit, did Noah finally stepped out of his tapestry. Holding himself high and proud, the sorcerer never felt so accomplished then he did now. His first step of his plan was set into motion. How quickly his smile faded as he saw Aglaia crumpled on the floor.

Tenderly cradling her head in his arms, Noah calmly called his chancellor's name. Though his mind was racing, the sorcerer kept his panic out of his voice. Brushing a strand of her blue hair out of her face, Noah was glade that she was only dazed. He continued to call out to her, hoping his voice could bring her around.

"My… my lord," Aglaia stammered, trying to orient herself.

"Who did this?" Noah asked gently as he slowly sat her up.

"White. A blur of white," the chancellor tried to recall. A heartbeat later, Euphrosyne stepped out of the portal, cradling her device in her hands.

"Your majesty, you've returned," a knight excitedly stated, running and kneeling before his sire. "We have a couple of trespassers in the castle."

"Please just don't kneel there waiting for permission to speak," Noah said softly for his chancellor's sake, helping her rise to her feet. "Tell me what these trespassers look like."

"Of course your majesty. The first was dressed in all white with long white hair that came to a sharp widow peak in the front. On his back I noticed a white scythe. The second had the wildest hair I've ever seen, red in color which spiked in any direction and it was full of volume. He wore a gi and a white headband. Both were obvious masters of the art of lightning, took me and two of my men out of the air," the knight recounted the best he could.

Noah blinked more than once, refusing to believe what he was hearing. The sorcerer hated being unnerved. Turning to Euphrosyne, he looked at her hoping she may have any answers. Beyond her, his portal remained opened; opened for two very unwanted visitors. Waving his hands angrily at the tapestry, Noah shut the portal as fast as his power would allow.

"Captain Dragoon Domino of the Light," Noah serenely said while gliding towards his throne. Though his voice was peaceful, the knight's muscles still tightened and immediately removed his helmet. Anytime Noah said anyone's complete title told everyone in attendance that the sorcerer was extremely angry.

"On your honor, Sir Domino, you speak truthfully about these men?" the sorcerer demanded gently.

"Yes your majesty," the dragoon knight confidently said. Noah put an elbow on his throne's arm and placed his chin in the palm of that hand.

"Magus and Crono," Noah spoke aloud, trying to sort out all the confusion that now came to his castle. Regardless on how impossible it sounded, Noah had to believe the two must have followed him.

"My liege, that can't be possible. You killed Magus and we used my device to hold their time in place," Euphrosyne said while shaking her head.

"Magus is a strong one. He should've died against Glenn in 600AD. He should've died against Queen Zeal or Glenn in 12,000BC. He should've died when he took his suicide run in the Black Omen. He should've died against Lavos. Let's face it; he's too difficult to kill. The fact that he is all white clarifies that he survived my spell. How they managed to move outside of time is a mystery but they did and they followed us through the portal I've weaved," Noah stated, picking up momentum as he began to believe his own words.

"How did they get ahead of us?"

"Your device must have slowed us down," Noah smiled. Everything started falling into place. His smile vanished when the complications of having those rouges around could be a huge problem to his plans.

"The question is what are we to do with these two pests that are running free in my kingdom?"

"Your majesty let me disperse the whole dragoon force. We'll hunt them down and—"

"Absolutely not!" Noah shouted, moving to the edge of his throne. "Don't be a fool, Domino! Those two, Magus and Crono, are legendary heroes that survived against Lavos. To have your men go against them would be suicide. I will not have my people be sent to the slaughter."

"My apologies your majesty," the dragoon humbly said, drooping his head lower. Noah sighed at the sight. Domino was his strongest soldier, wearing his shining silver armor and military buzz cut, which never looked good on one with blue hair, the sorcerer knew he wounded his pride dearly. But it had to be done. If Domino did go after the duo blindly, he would learn that he didn't stand a chance until it was too late.

"Sir Domino," Noah commanded, drawing the dragoon's attention to his liege. "Gather the Ring of Eight to hunt them down. Take heed of my warning. They are not to be taken lightly. Also, don't inform the public in this. I don't want any civilian turning into a vigilante."

With a pound on his chest, Domino bowed and left. Watching his great champion go, Noah wondered if his decision was the right one. Instead of dwelling on it, he moved to more pressing matter. His eyes fell on his Chancellor of Inventions.

"Euphrosyne, please take the Chrono Trigger to the private area only we know of," the sorcerer commanded, moving his eyes to his Chancellor of Knowledge. "Aglaia, please tell Thalia that I'll be in need my half-moons sooner than expected."

* * *

Night came quickly to the two strangers of this land. Anytime the duo heard hoof beats or footfall, they tried their best to hide in the trees in the forest they've entered several hours ago. It wasn't convenient and white wasn't a color Janus cared for. Crono been glaring more than once to the wizard, for whenever Janus complained about his clothes the swordsman groaned, since he still smelled of sewage from the moat he dropped into.

"You should take a bath," the wizard acknowledged out of the blue.

Crono moaned. There was no river around and he doubted that the nearest town would allow him entry just by his stench. Out of all of his friends that he could be with he was stuck with the one that tried his patience. He never even said thank you or gave Crono any form of appreciation for saving his life.

"A town," the wizard pointed out. Indeed, in front of the two was a large town but it seemed advance for Crono. However, Janus seen such structures before but he just brushed it off.

"Listen, we'll meet at that bridge over there," Janus said while showing Crono a small bridge that crossed over a wide, waist deep creek. "I'll go to the town and try to get some information. Stay here and take a bath."

Crono growled at the wizard who just simply ignored him and moved over the bridge and out of the forest, heading to the town ahead. Though the idea was a pleasant one, the swordsman knew he couldn't wash himself or his cloths at such an exposed place. Drawing his wooden sword, Crono thought of working on his new technique but decided against it. Sheathing his wooden sword, Crono just sat at the creek, bored and tired, waiting for his friend's return.

It was close to two hours later before Janus returned, kicking his comrade who was nodding off into the creek. Awaking completely, the swordsman stared daggers at his friend. Crono was getting tired of Janus's escapades.

"Bad news, Crono. We aren't in Gaurdia anymore. All I got out of a woman is that Noah and I'm guessing the Noah we know are one in the same, is the king of this land. So I don't think we should get a room at an inn, in Noah's kingdom," Janus finished but his ears perked up. It was faint but the wizard thought he heard footsteps.

Jumping in the creek, the wizard ducked under the bridge. Crono was sick of following Janus but he did trust the wizard, most of the time. Getting under the bridge beside his friend the two waited. The prince's senses didn't mislead him as a group marched up to the bridge and pause for what they thought would be a private meeting.

"Alright, listen up Ring. The two we are looking for are extremely dangerous. What I've heard from his majesty was that any one of us tried to go into single combat with either of them will not win. I believe him. Together they are an even more dangerous force. They took me and two of my best men out with one spell, I think. Anyways, do not, DO NOT try to fight them alone. If you find one or both use your horn. Understood?" a man instructed above the duo. Many concurrences followed along with movements from above. A heavy armored man moved over to the edge of the bridge.

"They're out there," the man paused and took a big whiff. "I can smell it. Move out."

"I told you to take a bath," Janus quietly snapped when all sounds of footfall was gone.

"They're gone, you two can come out now," a soft, feminine voice called.

Both remained still, not even bothering to answer. Crono tilted his head and gave a questioning gaze to the wizard. Janus scowled, well aware of Crono's silent statement that the wizard shouldn't have spoken. Hoping the individual would think they were mistaken, the duo remained motionless as statues.

Jumping beside the two, a beautiful woman dressed in a black, tight robe dropped onto the water. Standing on top of the moving current, the woman whipped back her head, sending her long, curly blue hair behind her back. Her deep emerald eyes locked onto the swordsman, holding him in place. Without breaking her stare, she reached into her robes, throwing three shurikens into the wizard's hand that was grasping his scythe.

"I don't wish to harm you any further," she said to the wizard though never breaking her trance over the swordsman. "In fact, if you come with me, I promise I can protect you."

Crono had no idea that his head was bobbing up and down but Janus knew the comment was aimed at the wizard.


	11. Chapter 11: Secrets Told and Kept

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**Secrets Told and Kept**

It was always a pleasure whenever Noah walked into his throne room. All within knelt and bowed their heads to their great king. He took it all in stride, knowing that his subjects must always think of him as a magnificent leader. His dreams, his people relished in while his enemies have always cringed.

"Arise," the wind mage commanded as he walked up to his throne to sit upon his seat.

All of his chancellors were in attendance, as well as his prized dragoon, Domino. It's been over twenty-four hours since he seen each of the four and heard anything of the missing rogues. The wind mage was fatigued from the drain of power he endured the day before but he knew he couldn't look tired before his people. Lifting his chin higher, the sorcerer smiled to his subjects, ready to leap into action at any moment. It did his heart good to see his smile become contagious to his people.

"Domino, report," Noah ordered.

"I'm sorry your majesty but the Ring cannot find them. Each Ring traveled in each direction and all we've found were hills and forests. I've split the Ring into four groups of two, to watch over the three cities and the castle," Domino recited as he did several times before he came to his lord.

"Well done. Though Magus and Crono are dangerous men it would be wise to practice caution. In time they will come to us, so conserve you energy until then. Now," the king paused, moving his head slightly to his Chancellor of Inventions. "Is the Chrono Trigger still working properly?"

Euphrosyne shuffled in place, putting her hands into her trench coat pockets, feeling the comfort of her tools within. She didn't know what to tell her lord for she never made such a grand device. It appeared to be working yet she didn't know if it had any bugs in it and if it did, she had no idea how to really go about debugging it. Euphrosyne loved a challenge but she was well aware of the complications of the invention.

"It appears to be working but I need to run some more tests," was all she could say. With a nod, Noah was satisfied with the honest answer.

"Thalia, is what in that container the half-moons I'd asked for?" the sorcerer wondered, gazing at his Chancellor of Forging and the case she held in both of her hands.

"No my king," Thalia humbly bowed.

Noah reaction wasn't what she expected. Instead of being angry or disappointed in her, the wind mage just raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. Knowing Noah as long as she did, Thalia took the silent sign as that he was curious rather than angry. Lifting his hand, he asked Thalia to continue.

"Asking for sickles, your weapon of choice, I felt it was unwise to do, especially having one sickle for each of your hands. Your greatest strength my king, other than your wisdom, is the magic you wield. I have never believed in taking away an advantage to improve another advantage. So I give you my own creation," the Chancellor of Forging said, handing the box over to her lord.

Noah held unquestionable faith in each of his chancellors. Without taking another moment to wait, the sorcerer peeled opened the box. His curiosity became confusion as he removed a pair of bracers. Each bracer held a bow like blade on the side and away from the body. It was an understatement for Noah to believe that he was lost.

"I call them Rainbow Bracers. The blades are light and with practice they can be terrifying weapons. Being bracers you've now have a bit more protection and—"

"My hands are free to cast spells," the young king finished with a large smile. Thalia sighed a deep breath of relief.

Strapping both bracers on his wrists, Noah couldn't believe how light they truly were. Swinging one arm and then the other, Noah could've sworn that the barely felt he was wearing them at all. Very pleased as he was, Noah took a mental note to reward Thalia later. Indeed, everything was going so well for the sorcerer. He wouldn't have mind Janus and Crono bursting in at that moment on how great he felt.

"You've each done your king proud this day," Noah began, bowing his head at the three. "Now I must ask of you to depart. Aglaïa and I have much to discuss in private."

Domino slammed a gauntlet hand onto his thick chest plate, causing a rather loud _clang_ sound. Everyone gritted their teeth but it was the proper salute a knight could give his king before he could leave. Thalia and Euphrosyne, however, crossed their arms against their chest and bowed their heads to their lord before they departed. Once Noah and Aglaïa were alone, the sorcerer dropped his act, scowling deeply and trying to wipe away any remaining sleep in his eyes.

"You should rest," the Chancellor of Knowledge stated, with her pouted lips making the sorcerer think she may have been acting more superior than she should.

"I have," Noah said matter-of-factly. "I wish I could rest more and I would if not for Janus and Crono hiding somewhere in my domain."

"I've noticed that you call Janus, Magus, whenever anyone other than I am around," Aglaïa observed. She knew why but she also knew Noah had to speak the words aloud, to better understand the situation and himself.

"You and I both know the repercussions, if anyone even hears that name."

"Do you think the people would believe him to be Janus? No one has been superstitious in years."

The sorcerer thought that over, getting off his throne to stand before his tapestry masterpiece. How perfect his work was. How flawless he created the several scene tapestry, leaving no detail out of it, not even from the simple and lone silhouette of a bird in an out of place location where everyone but he overlooked. There were no loose strands, unlike the two eye sores that now splotch his newest work. His world.

"It's a gamble I rather not deal with. However, I have dealt with set backs before. Even if the people believe he is Janus, than I will see to it once it comes to past," Noah said more to himself than to the chancellor. Aglaïa took it all in stride, being use to being just a voice to speak his thoughts. For Noah's thoughts were a delightful thing indeed and she lavished in his knowledge.

* * *

The pull on Janus's cape continued to get harder but the prince was completely oblivious to it. So enthralled as he was in watching the cat like steps their guide took. Ever since they entered these mountains, the prince couldn't help but admire this woman. She had shown knowledge, skill and grace in their first encounter and how her steps have changed, as if she had conquered an enemy and was bringing back a couple of prisoners. She held herself with great pride, being a killer yet needing not to kill. This woman reminded him of someone but whom? A gag pulled him out of his reverie.

Snapping a glare at his companion, the prince slowly moved his eyes to Crono's hand, which was holding the prince's white cape. Within a blink of an eye the hand was gone but the swordsman didn't fear his friend. Crono leaned in closer to Janus, barely in an auditable whisper he spoke.

"We're surrounded."

The wizard rolled his eyes and briskly caught up with their guide. Janus couldn't believe that he was dragged out of his personal thoughts for something so trivial. The wizard knew they were surrounded the moment they entered the caves. It didn't matter anyways, for as soon as he caught up to their guide, the prince's attention getting caught up in the sight of her red hair.

"Cease, we're here," she commanded. The prince halted, now grateful for his swordsman's interruption. If he was still deep in his thoughts, he would've bumped right into the woman.

"Tell the High Master that I brought guests. Guests who can help us better understand what's been going on in Noah's kingdom," she said to a guard wearing some black robes and a black hooded mask. The ninja ran down the hall at the orders.

The wizard couldn't help but roam her back. The robe was tight on her, exposing the curves on her slick thin body. His eyes fell to her tight and firm backside. Once he realized what he was doing, the prince snapped his gazed back up to her wavy fiery red hair. As if she felt his eyes on her, the ninja pivoted around, glaring deeply into the prince's violet irises.

"What are you staring at?" she said, narrowing her eyes. Janus just cocked his head back and smirked. There was no way he would tell her what he was doing.

"I'm looking at a woman who doesn't know her place."

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you," she threatened as she was about to turn around. But in a flash, she spun back to the wizard, throwing a thin needle right into Janus's exposed, raspberry tongue.

The fine point went right through the wizard's tongue, causing a great deal of pain. If Janus wasn't use to pain, he knew he would make things worst for if he made any sudden moves, he would only plunge the needle deeper into his mouth. Keeping his mouth wide open and sticking out his tongue as far as it could go, the prince slowly removed the needle. The iron taste that followed was not pleasant for the wizard.

"I'll warn you but only once," she said passively. "I need only one of you."

_Point taken_, the prince thought as he needed a distraction. Looking to his companion, he wished he didn't, for the swordsman held a huge, stupid grin and was on the verge of exploding out in laughter. Both of Crono's hands covered his mouth as Janus's eye began to twitch uncontrollably. Janus sneered and the swordsman couldn't hold it back anymore before he let out a belly of mirth.

The woman turned back around at the second man. She didn't know either of these men but she couldn't understand why such men of opposite character could travel together. She wished she knew why the red-headed man was laughing so she could join in. The ninja has been on edge, having to succeed in her mission without fail. When the mission was over, the men delivered to her father, and then she could relax and be herself again. Right now, she was still on duty and the white wizard made it easier to keep her stature and face passive. Still, she turned away, to hide the smile that was creeping to her face.

"He will see you now," the ninja that returned said.

The three moved down the hall and through a simple oak door. As they entered, a warm fire greeted them from a large fireplace. Sitting across the fire, in his comfortable seat, an old man gazed into the flames, seeming ignorant of their entry. The room was a comfortable size, like it was a den with a large sofa and a soft chair within it. None of it mattered to Janus, just the master. Grabbing the man by the collar, the wizard hoisted him up.

"Now I see. This has to do with you, doesn't Gasper?" the prince said while giving the old man a shake.

Faster than the wizard could guess the old man could move, a walking stick came up and in between Janus's arms, spinning back and forth, slamming repeatedly into the wizard's wrists. The prince let go of the old man. Out shot the stick, right into Janus's gut. The blow had him on his knees. In another spin, the cane came to rest against Janus's head.

"I must apologize; it seems we have a problem with identity. I am not this 'Gasper' you think I am. And I'm not fond of someone touching me. You can understand that, can't you?" the old man said softly, removing his cane from behind the prince's head. Janus growled low but nodded his head in acceptance.

"I hear the two of you can tell me about Noah's activities up north. Please join me by the fire," the old man gently said to the duo.

"I rather stand," Janus countered, making a point to rise tall and to tower over the now sitting old man.

If the old man seemed threatened, he didn't show it. Perhaps it was how quickly he subdued the wizard or the reassurance of his protégé standing behind his chair that kept him at ease. Either way, the swordsman felt that he was no in danger. Taking a seat across from the old man on the sofa, Crono took comfort in the soft cushions. Now, if he could find a bathtub.

"Permit me to introduce myself. I am High Master Demir, leader of the resistance against the Triad War. This is my lovely daughter, Demetera. May I have your names?" Demir calmly asked.

"I am Magus," the prince shot in immediately, doing what he could to hide his identity from these people. His fears came from Crono and his large mouth and those fears were clarified as Crono gave him a look that spoke to the wizard, telling him that he was confused onto why he wouldn't tell them his name.

"I am Crono. Excuse my friend. He's… impatient. I'll do the talking," the swordsman began as he turned to the wizard, who seemed very aggravated about being left out of the conversation before he could hear the rest of Crono's statement. "Since I haven't angered either of you, I'm sure my friend will understand."

Janus wanted to spit, how mad that he was but his comrade had a point. These… allies, perhaps, needed a diplomat, not a tyrant. So the wizard let the swordsman have his way as his eyes fell on the female ninja. He couldn't understand why she drew his attention.

"Now that we are properly introduced, tell me, Crono, what's going on in Noah's domain?"

"Before we answer any questions, what guarantee do we have that you aren't in league with Noah?" Janus interrupted before the swordsman could open his mouth. How quickly did the wizard take a step back as Demir lowered his eyes to the wizard, promising death.

"That bastard of a king took my daughter away from me. She harbored great intelligence and was a very promising woman. But now, Noah uses her for his own ends. We aren't friends, I'll tell you that now."

Janus didn't like the tone in the old man's voice but he respected where he was coming from. How quickly was Janus to anger when Schala was brought up into a conversation? The wizard thoughts came to a beautiful woman, rising from a kneeling position and him striking her down in an instant. Janus did well not to bite his lower lip.

"Since you sound like you, too, dislike the King of Zeal, that would make us allies," Demir announced, lying back in his seat.

"Zeal!" both the swordsman and wizard said in unison.

"Don't tell them anymore until they give us the information we need," Demetera begged to her adopted father and to the wizard she said, "sharing of information, right?"

The wizard both sighed and nodded in surrender. He knew that he needed a seat now. Sitting next to his companion, he waved for Crono to start, since it was his story and it was going to be a long one. It began with the usual beginning, where an unsuspecting youth bumped into a princess in disguise…

* * *

"Noah?" the call came, though distant, it sounded pleasant and welcoming but the comfort he felt at the moment, he didn't want to answer.

The call progressed and the wind mage shook to his senses, awakening in front of his Chancellor of Inventions. He fell asleep in his throne, something he hated doing. It was embarrassing for him whenever his subjects saw him at rest and though his throne was comfortable, it always left a nasty kink in his back.

"Yes, Euphrosyne?" the king asked, bending his back until he heard some pops.

"I just came to tell you that the Chrono Trigger is working soundly with its conduit. I'm ready to get back to my personal project, if you don't have any other need for me."

"My dear Euphrosyne," Noah began with a genuine smile. "I will always have a need for you but yes, you can get back to your project. I wish to personally join you when you finish."

The chancellor blushed a little but crossed her arms and bowed before she exited. It wasn't long before she reached the courtyard and the enormous invention in the works. She made a breakthrough with this, her pride and joy, her sweat and tears, until Noah told her to drop it and to begin working on the superb and advance device, the Chrono Trigger. Now, she had the free time again but she needed to find the notes she wrote before her liege took her from the invention. Those notes held her memories and she felt silly looking for the papers when she knew she'll never remember where she placed them. She began her search, entering her invention.

* * *

It took quite a bit of dancing around when it came to keeping some information about their story secret, especially Janus's identity. Crono would've loved to tell them all the details but he respected his friend's privacy. What astonished the swordsman most was that the two renegades seemed to hang onto every single word. They believed him and even more so, as he finished up the last few weeks about a very mischievous sorcerer who began to interfere with their lives.

"So that's it. All these years of perfecting that tapestry of his. He weaved a new type of magic. The tapestry is his controlled gate to other timelines," Demir thought aloud, it made sense to the old man.

"Other timelines? What do you mean?" the prince gently asked. It was difficult for the prince to keep the line of thought that he'll draw them in with kindness rather than push them away with crudeness.

"It may not surprise you that you are in the Kingdom of Zeal in the year 1000 A.D." the old man began to see the reactions on the duo's faces. "Of course time travelers wouldn't be surprised.

"It's your turn, Demir. Where the heck are we?" Crono asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Demir reached up and began to stroke his thick, long white beard. He could only guess what was going on. Taking a long stretch, the old man got up and headed to his wall of books. His fascination with time took him back to his grandfather's days. Along his wall rested generations upon generations of books, dedicated to time and its theories.

Dusting off a tome that was older than he by a thousand or more years, the old man took it to a small podium, next to his chair. Gently, ever so gently, Demir opened it to the first page. Smiling brightly, he knew he grabbed the correct book.

"Time. It has no meaning yet it does. Without conscience, time wouldn't exists yet it does without that conscience. Within every moment there is countless possibilities and each of those possibilities have countless possibilities. This is fact. Time itself is set and nothing can disturb that time. Time begins as a dot and spreads in multiple, countless lines, straight and true before spreading in their own countless lines. These lines in time do not intersect but they do run together, never changing.

To those thinking time travel possible, it is true enough. One could someday move at the speed of light and move forward or back in time yet nothing these travelers can do can change time. If one goes to the past, than they are meant to be there to create a specific timeline yet their destined present will remain the same. If one goes to the future, it would be the same. Timelines—"

"Enough old man," Janus interrupted, standing with a hint of aggression in his pose. "Didn't you hear anything Crono said? We've _changed_ time several times before. This book is worthless."

"This book speaks more truth than you realize," Demir calmly replied, closing the tome in front of him. "You see Magus; time can't be changed in every specific moment. Each timeline is unique but yours could have been what some would say 'an experimental timeline.' Some believe we are guided by an Entity, one who created time or time may have created it. Either way, your timeline is so unique, space-time rules may not apply. I could be wrong though," Demir finished before sitting back down.

"What happened before we came to this timeline than, with the whole switching of colors and time stopping?" Crono eagerly asked, hoping this man might be able to answer his question.

"It sounds like Noah used a Chrono Trigger to petrify your timeline. Why? That I don't know but I'm certain that must be why he's been so busy as of late."

At that moment you could've knock the swordsman over with a feather with how shocked he was. Janus, too, was surprised but not like Crono. What Demir said had some truth in it, for when the wizard's timeline was petrified, wouldn't that effect the other timelines? Were their timeline so special that it didn't follow the laws of nature? And was it that uniqueness that granted Noah whatever it was he desired?

"I'm sorry but it is getting late. Demetera, show our guests to some quarters. Please. Eat, sleep and relax here. We will talk…" Demir paused to let out a long yawn. "Tomorrow."

The swordsman was eagerly ready to comply. He finally could get a chance to be rid of the stench off his body and clothes. Janus, however, wanted to remain to talk some more about what was going on. It wasn't the gentle voice of Demetera that made him move but the deep breathes the old man took, telling the wizard that he wouldn't be talking to anyone except himself. The wizard nodded to the ninja, following her out of the room, gazing back ever so often.

_Petrified timeline. It is even possible?_ the wizard thought, remembering just that one brief moment in time that his old comrades use to save Crono. _Schala is lost to time… again. Oh yeah, Noah. You're going to pay dearly for that._

**Author Notes: ** Noah's bracers blades I been having difficulties describing, so the best way I can help visualize them in think about the duel disks on Yu-Gi-Oh! just thinner, smaller, and of course, bladed.


	12. Chapter 12: Parting is Bittersweet

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**Parting is Bittersweet**

It was a relaxing sight for the swordsman to behold. The fireplace was warm and comforting, like the twin size, feather down bed he sat on. Though it took him what seemed like hours to fully dry his thick hair, Crono laid back on the towel behind his head and onto the bed. He was warm, clean, and hasn't seen battle in hours. The only thing that could perfect his tranquil moment is if his friend could quit his annoying pacing.

If Crono didn't know any better, he could've swore that Janus never got any rest, ever. The prince was awake, staring at the fire when Crono fell asleep and when the swordsman awoke the next morning, Janus was in bed but he was staring at the ceiling. It didn't take a genius to realize the turmoil that haunted the prince. Demir sounded sure of himself, that their timeline was halted. Even that impossibility shown some signs of paradoxical disasters but to Crono haven't his friends continued to manipulate fate? Perhaps it was possible, that their petrified timeline could remain frozen in countless seconds and moments in time. There were just too many questions.

Yet even with quantum physics being beyond him and that his friends maybe imprisoned in time, Crono tried to keep his mind at ease. Taking each day as a step towards a brighter future, the swordsman tried to take a nap. The wizard would never allow that.

"Wake up. How many prisons can you sleep comfortably in anyways?" the prince snapped, despising the swordsman's laid back mood.

All the swordsman could do was grin at his friend, which only angered him all the more. But his sneer faded to a baffled look, as if something seemed off about Crono. To Janus, who could see the aura of an individual's magic, he saw Crono's yellow aura beginning to fade. The prince rarely practiced the 'sight' for in the Middle Ages, few could use magic. But it was apparent that his comrade's magic was depleting somehow.

"Spekkio," the wizard whispered, thinking about the complications this could have. Crono's reply came as a hum.

"You're losing your magic, magic that was given to you by that creature of war. After Noah took your connection away from Spekkio, I have seen your magic weaning," the wizard clarified, cupping his chin in his hand.

He knew something was going wrong with his own magic as it worked one second and in the next, it didn't. And then there was Taban. But even with his chaotic magic, Janus knew he wasn't losing his blessed gift. A part of the prince pitied the swordsman, as he was slowly exhausting his magic and losing another part of the swordsman that made him, him. Another part, more selfish to his own end, didn't like giving Noah any more needed advantages.

"What does this mean?" a panicked swordsman asked.

Janus opened his mouth to answer but he shut it immediately as a graceful and beautiful woman strolled into the room. The prince turned his head away from the ninja, refusing to meet her in the eyes. Her spell over Crono, freezing him with a stare, was nothing compare to the delirium that just her presence brought him. At times, he admire her and others, she infuriated him. She attracted him, both physically and with her inner strength and that angered the prince even more. His eye began to twitch.

"My father wishes to speak with you two."

* * *

"First it was the war, than the drought and now these two. Magus and Crono. Will this never end?" complained an old mage dressed in a long, green robe.

His companion, Domino, could only shake his head. Out of the entire Ring, the dragoon wondered what dark deed he must have done to have karma stick him with Archipelago the Green. The old mage was a master of earth magic but he seemed a bit more devoted to the planet than he should have been.

The two rules of nature Archipelago the Green always followed: the strong shall live while the weak shall die and there should always be a balance in nature. Though Domino believed strongly in the first rule, he couldn't understand the second through the mage's eyes. Their king was strong, thus lived but Noah was too strong in Archipelago's mind. The entire kingdom knew how he felt and that included Domino and Noah.

If the dragoon was king of Zeal, he would've had the mage hung long ago, if not for the treasonous thoughts but for his constant complaints. But Domino had to admit, through all the mage's faults, he still served Noah and he was the second most powerful wizard, next to their king. Even that last thought, the dragoon had to change, for now he was the third, next to this Magus, who their own king respected.

"Just do your job," Domino finally said, keeping any venom out of his voice.

The dragoon moved away and down the hall, leaving the mage to his own thoughts. Even though the greatest mage and dragoon were by their king's side, Domino wasn't sure if they could hold out against the swordsman and the wizard if it came to blows. He didn't want to remain locked in the castle. Domino's battle lust demanded him to gather the Ring and continue the hunt for those two very powerful, very worthy opponents. But his better judgment and loyalty to the crown kept him from doing any rash decisions. So, the dragoon just kept on walking.

* * *

"How much longer is he going to make us wait?" Janus grumbled, returning to his pacing in Demir's study.

"How many times are you going to say that?" Crono said as close to a snap that the wizard had ever heard.

Janus took a step back from the unexpected character coming from his comrade. The fire in the swordsman's eyes disappeared, replaced by weariness and defeat. That told the wizard much. Crono still felt responsible for his friends demise and all he wanted was to have things back to the way it was. All of the stupid grins and the relaxing actions were just facades.

Understanding the swordsman a little bit more, the wizard did decide to quit his complaining and his pacing. Instead, he placed his chin back into his hand, planning out the meeting they would have. Demir and Demetera were possibly his only allies in this strange new world and he needed to remain calm and to keep his pride in check. To these people, they thought of him as a wizard and nothing more. He and Crono did well to avoid his noble ancestry, something which Janus didn't like to tell anyone about. The door opened.

In walked the old and youthful ninjas, with the woman helping her father into his chair. The days were getting colder and even the warmth of the caves did little to ease the pains Demir felt in his bones. The sight caused Janus's rage to stir. How easily it was for the old man to subdue him last night and now he was a prisoner in his own body. But the wizard calmed almost immediately.

"My apologies, I was busy elsewhere. So what do you two wish to know?" Demir asked weakly, appearing weary but determined to talk to these unusual men.

"We are in the kingdom of Zeal, the same Zeal that floated in the sky. At least that's what you said. How did that happen and what is this Triad War?" the wizard began.

"Very well. I don't know how the kingdom of Zeal fell or why it survived the fall but for the war, it began a thousand years ago. The Triad War is now being called the Millennium War. The war began when a man named Harold Gaurdia raised up from the slavers of the 'Enlightened Ones.' The magicless humans fled from Zeal to the continent to the southwest; that is now called Gaurdia. At that time, an intelligent race, the mystics, took advantage of the confusion so they, too, could flee but to the east to a continent that is now called Mysteria.

The noble Zealians were fine with losing their slaves but Gaurdia and Mysteria wouldn't let their centuries of torture be forgotten. Gaurdians hated their magic using cousins and the Mystics can't tell the difference between the two human races and Zeal continues to place themselves higher than the lowly peasants of the Gaurdians and Mystics."

"And where do you fit into this war?" the swordsman asked earnestly.

"We are informants for specific, smaller factions within all three tribes. We wish to end this war but lately it seems impossible to erase a thousand years of bloodshed," Demetera said, giving her father a moment to relax.

"So… you're mercenaries," Janus stated, failing to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"Better to be a mercenary, trying to end a war than a white wizard who only cares about his own ends," Demetera defended sharply but eased back as Demir lifted his hand to hers.

"I'm—" Janus paused, having the apology stuck in his throat. Instead he changed the subject altogether. "What's the best way to get back to the castle and destroy Noah?"

"What you've told me, Noah defeated you both twice. I would say it's foolhardy to even think of attempting any assassination. King Noah is guarded by a hundred dragoon knights and a hundred wizards and that doesn't include the thousands of loyal subjects who would lay their lives down for their king," Demir paused to stare at the swordsman before continuing. "Noah is all but invincible here and with you, Crono, losing your magic, you can't possibly win. You both had Noah weakened and in your own homeland. You had your chance to defeat him and that chance is gone."

Crono leaned back in his chair, both angry and confused by the old man's words. The swordsman took chances after chances in his own timeline, fighting impossible odds and he always came out on top. The situation was different and so bleak now. He wanted to kill Noah and badly, or force him to free his timeline and send him back home. But it couldn't be. Everything was against him.

But Janus couldn't believe anything was written in stone. If he could change time in his own timeline, he would have the power to change the fate of this timeline. He and Crono were the keys to saving their timeline but the wizard hated to admit it, they were not ready. They needed help.

"Demir, do you know of someone who is dedicated to magic?" the wizard asked.

"I would suggest you don't look in Zeal for who you're looking for. By now, you should have a large target on your back. You best bet rests to the east, where a mystic sorceress named Bonnie lives," Demir replied.

"Wouldn't I have a target on my back if I go to a land full of mystics?"

"You've enslaved the mystics before, can't you do it again?"

That remark had the wizard reeling. It was true enough but it was something he wasn't proud of and with meeting Schala, something he never would do again. The prince knew he had no choice, if he wished to figure out what's been going on with his magic and to grow stronger for the battles ahead. But he was no boy this time. He would get help from the mystics but he would not manipulate them under his power again.

"What about me? Unlike J… Magus, I can't stop what's happening to me. I can feel it now," a distressed swordsman said, pointing it out by sending some sparks into his fist but the hold on the electric magic slipped through his fingers.

"You may want to head towards Gaurdia. They have other ways of putting themselves on equal footing with the magical Zealians," Demetera said.

Crono didn't know what to say to that. He lost all of his friends and though Janus was hard to be around, he didn't want to lose him as well. But the swordsman knew this was beyond him and he needed to grow strong. With a long, resenting sigh, the swordsman nodded. Both the wizard and swordsman left after a few more exchange in words with the ninjas, leaving Demir and Demetera alone.

"Do you think they are the ones?" Demetera turned to the man who she admired all her life.

"You know me well. I don't believe in superstition," the old man finished before falling into a much needed sleep.

* * *

"A raft!" the wizard screamed but leaned his head back, not really surprised with his luck. "You get to be smuggled onboard a cargo ship and _I_ have to weathered a wintry ocean on a raft. Yup, that's fair."

Crono wasn't listening as he stood silent, gazing to the east. This parting was bittersweet. Janus was his last friend and the only one from his own dimension and now that last connection of home will be severed. On the bright side, Crono didn't have to put up with Janus's superior authority complex.

Janus, too, felt torn with this parting. On one hand, he could finally get something accomplished without the swordsman holding him back. On the other, he grown accustom to his comrade's presences, to his actions and words that kept him from falling into trouble from his own selfish desires. Each of his comrades managed to hold a place in his heart but Crono slowly etched a mark, though small, in his personality.

"Hand me Nadia's pendant," Janus said out of the blue.

The swordsman took a few steps away from his friend, thinking the wizard mad. Even as a subconscious thought, Crono grabbed the pendant in hand, willing to defend it with his life. But his confusion was intensified when Janus removed his amulet.

"We'll trade. Both your pendant and my amulet protected us from the petrifaction. Schala protected me and Nadia you," Janus began, walking over and handing the amulet to his comrade. "I will want _my_ amulet back."

Crono tilted his head as the cool metal touched his hand but then it dawned on him. Janus expected to see him again and Crono knew he wanted to see his friend some day. They couldn't die until they got their items back. Crono would hunt Janus for the pendant as he knew the wizard would hunt him down for his amulet. Without a word, Crono took off the pendant and replaced it with the amulet. Janus placed the lighter pendant around his neck.

"If you lose it," Janus warned, hopping onto his raft and drifting away from the shore. "I will find your body, raise the corpse, and force you as a personal slave for the rest of my natural life."

Crono only grinned. He didn't doubt that Janus would do just that. But that was the wizard, a tough act mostly. The swordsman waved to his friend who just turned his back to the swordsman. Crono lowered his hand, hurt that Janus wouldn't even say good-bye. His smile returned when he saw his friend for the last time for awhile, simply lifted his hand in reply from the raft. With a nod, the swordsman headed in the opposite direction, were his new adventure lied.


	13. Chapter 13: Mysteria

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**Mysteria**

A soft sneeze was barely audible with the waves and bitter wind on the mighty sea but to the prince, it made him wince, as if an enemy of the ocean may come out of nowhere and slay him. It wasn't a pleasant thought but neither has it been with him being stuck on a raft for the past five days without sleep and no food for the last three. Winter just nipped at the land and water with a nasty chill that sank to the prince's marrow. Though the cold bite hardly affected Janus; for he was alone and he feared that if he slept he would drown or be attacked and destroyed in the water. Both he felt too pitiful of a death for his caliber.

Night came later, being the time of year that more sun would shine, which was welcoming to Janus's eyes. However, his eyes comfort was little compare to the renewed blistering pain from the exposure of the sun for several days. The prince's face ached from sunburn and no matter how high he drew his hood, the poisonous rays reflected off the water and stung his face just as much as if he was walking the desert. To say he was miserable would be an understatement, even for the prince's usual wretched attitude.

Something caught the prince's attention off in the horizon; with the setting sun to his back. At first, he almost dismissed it as a trick of light as a thin line of a darker color was seen. Then the line slowly grew in size. It took close to a couple of hours of desperate rowing before the wizard finally saw familiar shapes. Trees. But even though the season been warm, a sheet of ice covered the rim to the land beyond, as if taunting the prince that he would never reach it. A shadowy figure stepped into view and the wizard dived to his stomach, feeling foolish all the while. Being in plain sight on a raft was one thing but trying to hide at night with white clothing just didn't work.

A groan escaped the prince's cracked lips as the raft roughly thumped against the sheet of ice, fifty yards away from the mainland. Janus turned his head so his warm breath couldn't obscure his vision of the figure and now joined by four others. Surprisingly, they were Outlaws, little bird men usually dressing in simple cloths but the five he saw were dressed in fine wears and seemed to carry on a long conversation without trying to slit the other's throat. Though Janus was out of earshot, he could observe by their body language that the conversation was civil, if not, actually intellectual. The prince shook such thoughts away for they made no sense, even in such a bewildering world. Still, how they left, almost military like, told the prince that perhaps the Mystics might be governed well.

Close to an hour later and the night growing quieter, Janus finally raised, feeling as if he had to chance a spell. Smoothly the words rolled off his tongue and his grace flowed as his hands moved perfectly. If he wasn't so entranced by the spell, he would've questioned more why his spells were going haywire—while a that moment—he never felt so powerful.

With a smirk, the prince pointed to the land whispering, "Fire in the hole."

Manipulating the rolling fire, the prince created a single wave, going straight ahead of him. Instantly the sheet of ice melted away, creating a direct line to his destination. Janus thought it appropriate, like red carpet rolled out for the royal prince. Taking the oar he began to pump his arms hard to get to shore for surely such an act would attract unwanted company. Indeed, he wanted to make a grand entrance to the land of Mysteria.

The five Outlaws returned shortly after, finding a rift in the ice with a raft bobbing up and down against the turf. In a tree only a few feet away, the prince watched on, though not worried if they spotted him. They were, after all, just Outlaws. They murmured many words in the night in such an unusual and unique tongue. Janus knew Mystic talk well.

"This isn't good. We were just here an hour ago and already a trespasser entered our woods," one of the Outlaws said while taking some time looking for footprints. The prince chuckled as he knew they would find none. Walking was for peasants. He rather float.

"Should we report this to Tyz?" one whispered to the others while drawing stares from his companions and the prince.

"I rather Bonnie hear it from us else we would lose our heads," one put in but that drew Janus closer to the edge of the branch.

The five took a moment to ponder what to do but it was obvious that they didn't want to think too long on it. If it was their duty, their loyalty, or simply fear that made them on edge and needed to come to the best conclusion, Janus didn't know and nor did he care. If Tyz was their leader, than he already could find a niche in this land but if they got to report to Bonnie, than all the better. All he hoped that they weren't anything like his timeline Outlaws and would decide to turn a blind eye to this matter. The prince wasn't disappointed.

"The fact remains that an unwelcome guest is here and we need to report back to the castle. You," the Outlaw pointed to the smallest of the group. "Remain here. If the trespasser returns, give a signal but don't engage."

Janus didn't know what emotion he should use at that moment. He was insulted that they thought he would return to his leaky raft, he was delighted that he could follow the others to this castle and he was stupefied by the cautious 'don't engage' command. So he just put on his usual feature on his face. A scowl. Skipping gently—with a bit of floating magic—from branch to branch, the prince made not a sound, keeping pace with the lowly Mystics.

The Outlaws really knew the woods well, running through the forest, though it was overgrowth and difficult to see at night. Several times the prince almost lost them as the creatures kept moving while the tangled branches confused him as if he would've had a better chance on the ground in following them.

Floating to the next branch, the prince's eyes widened with surprise. They were moving throughout the forest, as far as he knew, they were getting deeper into the forest but he knew the four were sneaky. For the past hour, they were leading him in circles for Janus swore he was running along these same branches before. The prince sneered. Somehow they knew he was following them and they purposefully were letting him keep sight of them to get him lost in the woods. Such a game he would not play.

Floating down with his arms crossed, the prince came between the four in a spectacular display. None of the Outlaws were surprised or amused. Immediately the Mystics circled around him, drawing their rapiers and advanced a couple steps. Taking out his whiten Doomsickle, the prince wave a hand, telling them to bring it on. They approached a few more steps.

Then they fled. Janus was so shocked by such an action he almost didn't follow the one ahead of him as they all scattered to the four winds. The chase began and only using his magic to keep just above the ground kept the prince from losing the Mystic. Even with the advantage to avoid the obstacles, Janus knew he would lose this one for the Outlaw knew his way around and knew where to hide.

"Wait," Janus called in Mystic but the creature would not slow.

"I surrender!" the prince yelled sharply and stopped right in his tracks. He had no idea why he would say such a thing. The prince of Zeal, his timeline Zeal, would never surrender. However, doing such showed potential into getting to see Bonnie or whoever Tyz was.

"Drop your weapon, Zealian, and don't move," the Mystic called from the darkness.

Both orders went against the prince's nature. He never gave up his power, be a weapon or magic. However, he would go along with his sudden desperate cry of surrender… for now. With a shrug, the prince tossed his scythe to the ground and placed his hands behind his head. A sharp pain struck him in the shoulder. He tried to yelp but only silence exited his mouth.

Taking the dart out of his shoulder, he knew it must have been coated in Mute poison. It made him wonder if dropping his defense was a good idea, though he believed deep inside, dropping your guard you deserved what was coming to you.

"Now," the prince heard from behind, feeling a point of a sword against his back.

"March."

And so, the prince marched, silently cursing and tripping all the way.

* * *

"Harder! Faster! Come!" Thalia cried out in lust… battle lust.

Up come the bracer, parrying the long sword easily but getting his arm up in time to stop his chancellor from cleaving him in half was almost too close for comfort. The sword was dancing about, always dancing and Noah parried with his bracers more on instincts than with his mind. He didn't like that feeling. Giving into his animalistic nature went against all he stood for. Knowledge was power and not one's sixth sense. The moment he lost focus on the fight he received a stab in his right bicep for his distraction.

The king turned to the wound and then to his chancellor, who by now dropped her sword and back away, all signs of battle lust gone as she knew what she had done. She was a far better warrior than he and that was why she trained him hard but she knew when to pull back. Never once in all her life has she cut her lord. He left their sparring matches a few times bruised, sure, but never had she wounded him. How quickly she fell to her knees.

"Enough about that. Rise. I dropped my guard is all," the sorcerer smiled gently.

"I'll get Aglaïa," Thalia began and turned to fetch her sister chancellor.

"No," Noah commanded, halting his Chancellor of Forging in her progress.

"My lord."

"Here," Noah said, picking up her long sword and handing it to her by the hilt. "How am I to learn to fight with a wound unless I'm wounded?" the king stopped, pointing a finger in the air as something else came to him. "And please, don't hold back as you have been doing for all these years."

Thalia had no answer to that other than simply obeying. Taking her sword she returned to her fighting stance, taking control of herself so she could fight with her heart but not to fall into her battle lust. No one was her equal with the sword and though she feared inflicting harm on her lord, neither would she go against his orders. On she came with an overhead chop.

Noah was slow to parry with his right arm. It stung and few weapons could hurt the sorcerer but the pain was invigorating. Such a foreign feeling, yet so familiar. It's been a long time and Noah believed too long, since he felt pain. To feel is to be alive. With such a feeling he managed to counter attack, which was easily dodged, followed by the chancellor getting into his defense to rest a sword tip to his throat. Noah laughed.

* * *

"Hm?" a giant of a creature muttered as a commotion began emanating just outside his throne room.

In came an Outlaw, literally, right through his solid oak door. Just outside the shattered portal laid four other Outlaws and in stepped an unusual man. His impressive height, taller than most humans, intrigued the creature. The man was human but obviously he was Zealian by the clothes, though white, and by his hair, also white. But other than his first sight of the Zealian walking into his throne room was impressive, he didn't care much.

"You owe me a new door, Zealian," the creature paused to look down at his unconscious Outlaw. "And if any of my subjects die, you'll owe me far more."

"Come off it, Tyz. You don't care about these men," Janus countered and tried to prove his point by kicking the Outlaw.

How quickly did Janus's eyes open and how quickly he had to duck to avoid a solid stone throne being whipped right for his head and watched it shatter to pieces behind him. As Janus turned back to the brute, a massive hand wrapped itself completely around his throat, lifting the prince in the air. If not for his floating technique, he knew his neck would've been broken but that didn't stop the Mystic from suffocating him to death. Janus pounded and kicked at the bulky arm that rippled with muscles to no avail. The beast was the size of an ogre... perhaps he was, wearing nothing but simple slacks and a jerkin. His green arms rippled with corded mass amount of muscles, Without being able to speak, the prince was at the beast's mercy.

"First, I am not Tyz. I am King Domacka Orion. Second, Zealian, kick any of my subjects while they are down again in my presence, I will finish what I started here," the king Mystic threatened, dropping the prince to the floor.

The prince immediately got to his feet shortly after his knee hit the ground. One of Janus's strengths was his intimidation by standing tall, looking down at his enemies. However, Orion stood two heads taller than the prince and outweighed him at least three fold. The Mystic was unusual like the rest of them to the prince's line of thought. He was very strong physically but he seemed to have an aura of wisdom about him.

The king began wiping his hand off his grey jerkin, which seemed to compliment his grey skin, as if touching Janus was repulsive. Such a move caused the prince's eye to twitch. Between the two, he was obviously not the disgusting one but the giant creature was. But other than twitching his eye and rubbing his neck, the prince said not a word or made not a move.

"My lord, it was wise for you to spare him," a feminine voice said as a figure faded into existence and some distance from the two. Before the prince floated by all rights a beautiful sight. Much of a willow look upon her but graceful in all appearances. Her long blond hair settled gently on her shoulders when she descended to the ground, touching the floor lightly with her bare feet. Wearing a crimson gown, she spoke again, "He may be Zealian, however, not one of our people were killed. Perhaps a rouge?"

"I shall not take such a chance. He my just be a spy to gather information here and return to lick Noah's boots…"

"The next time you say that, I will send you to the void," Janus openly threatened, dripping with much venom from his words.

"HA! So you say you don't kneel to that bastard?" Orion accused with a full on belly laugh.

"I kneel… to no one," the prince said darkly, slowly saying each word so the Mystic would not miss a single syllable. That statement and how it was said had both the king and the woman backing up a step. No servant of Noah would say such a thing.

"Who are you and why are you here?" the woman asked while taking her place beside her king. Again, Janus could've swore she was human. The only non human part on her was her ears, being pointed at the ends but then again, wasn't Janus's ears no different?

"I am Magus. I am a wizard from the continent of Zeal, exiled for my power and dangers to the crown. Indeed," Janus closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly with a chuckle. "I could be such a danger. After all, I want Noah's head on a pike."

Such… blasphemy has been acceptable to any Mystic but to hear a _Zealian_ threaten the almighty Wind Mage King was unheard of. Both Mystics turned to regard the white man. He was indeed skilled with his tongue for surely he spoke truths and lies. Yet, they knew not when he was speaking truthfully or falsely. One thing they did know, any enemy of Noah may become a potential ally to them.

"Magus, huh?" the woman said with a giggle. The melody that each word that escaped her lips finally helped Janus figure out what she maybe. A fey. Elves, faeries, dryads, nymphs, whatever you wish to call them. Still, even her charming magic, her glamor, didn't stop the mounting anger of being mocked at.

"What of it?"

"That isn't your real name. 'Magus' in our tongue means 'wise one' and you are too full of yourself to be such," the woman giggled again. Janus kept his lips shut so not to show them his gnashing teeth. Such a reaction from him had her laughing all the more.

"Enough, Bonnie!" Orion barked and immediately she quieted. "I asked who you were and Magus works. I'm still interested why you would foolishly risk your life to obviously meet me, if not to assassinate me."

"I assure you, your life I don't care about. However, that one there," the prince pointed to the woman. "I'm interested in. I'm here for selfish reasons. Power, plan and simple. My magic hasn't been working properly and I need help to fix it so I can send such power to kill the one I truly wish destroyed."

"Noah," Orion simply put it. Janus nodded.

"I will not train—"

"Agreed," Orion interrupted before Bonnie could ruin a golden opportunity. The sorceress glared at her king, trying to ponder why he would want a Zealian in their midst and worse, she badly despised any human but above all, any of Zeal origin. Janus smirk became a scowl as Orion turned back to him.

"But only if you agree to train our wizards along side Bonnie. Zeal's magicians are growing stronger by the night and we could use some insight from one of Zeal lineage," the Mystic King finished.

Janus knew this to be a test, something to no doubt tell them he was no spy. He could respect that but could he agree to such terms? Training wizards for war? Such a thing left a fowl taste in his mouth. He swore never to get into such things again. So, he did what he normally did in such situations. He lied.

"Of course, Domacka," Janus agreed with an evil grin.

"That is King Orion, Zealian. Also, show your loyalty. Show your respects and bow to him," Bonnie growled.

"I bow," the prince paused to look at the 'teacher' he was soon to have with a cold stare, "to no man."

The sorceress was about to snap on the prince until Orion moved a massive arm to prevent her from taking such actions. Looking upon the human, Orion believed his last statement was final and his pride would rather send him to an early grave than ever kneel to anyone. With that reasoning, this Magus, truly hated Noah or at least serve only himself and no king. Though Magus was not a Mystic and had no obligation to Orion, the king figured he needn't have to bow nor kneel to him. As it stood, Orion felt he would benefit dearly from this man. If he taught his wizards, which would help Bonnie the sole trainer of the wizards out, than his army would grow stronger. The worst case scenario, he would use Bonnie to grow, refuse to train the wizards and then would go off to kill Noah. Both seemed very promising to the Mystic King.

"Lowjo, since you're awake, please find our guest some quarters," Orion commanded his stirring Outlaw.

Soon after they were alone, Bonnie pouted, doomed to teach a Zealian her tricks. However, Orion was leader not because of strength in arm but because of his silver tongue. Gently he reminded his general of the benefits to training the wizard and how to help her bare through it. She was more than she appeared to be and Orion didn't pity the poor Zealian. Not one bit.


	14. Chapter 14: Guardia

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**Guardia**

The huge cargo ship was not at all like the Guardian faerie back in his timeline. Bulky and made of steel, it rocked side to side and rarely up and down. The hall creaked and moaned as it moved against the waves, no comfort at all for the swordsman. Though it was a large ship, which normally gave him space to move about in, he couldn't leave his cramped hiding crate that didn't help his stomach in the slightest. The steel barge absorbed the cool water, making the cargo hold a large freezer. To say Crono was miserable was an understatement. He thought of Janus at that moment and considered himself the luckier of the two.

Crono had no idea how long he's been on the ship but he could guess at least a day had passed. He hoped with the time given to him he could begin planning on how to help the Guardia army without raising too much suspicion. However, the seasickness had taken him whole and it took all of his concentration not to hurl all over himself. The cold only added to his distraction as he rubbed his arms and legs to keep his circulation flowing in his body. Crono figured he would do what he always done. Improvise.

The swordsman guessed another half day passed before he felt the barge slowed and he expected to be free very shortly. However, the barge stopped abruptly, slamming the crate against the wall and spilling its contents, Crono, onto the floor and out in front of two startled Guardian sailors.

"What the? A stowaway?"

"More like a Zealian rat."

The second comment had Crono raising an eyebrow. It was true enough he could cast spells—what was left in reserves after Spekkio's demise—but his outward appearance didn't show any hint that he was a wizard. Indeed, he wore exotic clothes and wore a couple of unique swords but he neither wore a cloak nor wielded a staff or wand. _So why call me a Zealian rat?_ Crono thought as he scratched his thick mop of hair. Then it came to him.

Both sailors, neither soldiers obviously, pounced upon the swordsman, missing him in a split second as he tucked and rolled to the side. Crono knew he had to get off the ship now, before anyone else saw him and his outlandish colored hair. Though not a costumed blue or light brown of most Zealians, some wizards the swordsman saw that practiced lightning like he, had bright red or brilliant yellow color hair. Normally the effects one got when playing with electric magic. Up the stairs he flew, skipping three stairs at a time, hoping luck would finally be on his side.

Shouts reverberated from behind and below the deck but it didn't slow Crono's flight a bit. The sailors got above deck seemed far too busy to notice a stranger running out from the haul, grabbing some rope and swinging off the ship. By the time the two sailors got above deck, not a sign of the strange stowaway was found.

Fleeing into the thin woods, Crono was grateful that lady luck was indeed with him. The rope was tied down and they were docked. If they weren't, Crono shivered at the thought of plunging feet first into the frigid ocean water. But now Crono knew he had a difficult problem. If he was to slip into Guardia without suspicion, he would have to do something with his hair.

The night was a pleasant, crisp feeling with just a touch of a winter's breeze. Being such a season the swordsman was not too surprised in seeing a farming village that was lit up by each building but all signs of crops were long ago harvested for the winter. A loud cheer erupted from one of the larger buildings, probably a tavern, which drew on the swordsman's curiosity. Indeed, he felt his foot move a step but he quickly paused. How he wanted to be in the company of others, enjoying a good meal and resting someplace out of the cold. But his hair would just make him a marked man, regardless on how unjustified the prejudice was.

The swordsman sighed and backed pedaled into the woods. With a regretful sigh, Crono grabbed tightly onto one of his thick locks. The more he moves forward with this new adventure, the more he felt life wasn't fair. Lately, he has been losing everything in his life. His friends, his timeline, his magic and now he was going to lose a piece of his identity didn't sit well with him. Taking one of his katanas in hand, Crono sliced through—though very difficultly—the first patch of wild hair.

With each strand falling to the ground, Crono blinked his tears away, believing this was the only way to have the Guardians trust him without prejudice. But still… the thick volume, punk look was his trademark along with his unique weapon of choice. As the last strand fell, Crono choked back the rest of his tears and scowled, very deeply. Such a feature was foreign to the swordsman and his cheeks and chin began to ache after a short while. Still… this was one more reason he wanted to utterly destroy Noah.

Taking some dirt on the ground, Crono finished up his little disguise by darkening his hair color. It wasn't a permanent solution but before he could get to a bigger town, it was all he could do. Using his fingers as a crude comb, Crono felt a bit better as his hair remained in small spikes. After burying his hair, both to hide it and to bury a part of himself; the swordsman returned and slowly entered the tavern.

* * *

"So quiet one, where'd ye said yer from again?" a burly man cheerily said with more than a touch of cider in his system and slapping a very sober swordsman on the shoulder.

Most of the little village was packed into the tavern and though Crono raised a few eyebrows, most of the folks accepted the traveler with open arms. Though a few were in jest, saying he should take a bath, which he too quickly shook his head, he soon realized half the folks continued to do manual labor during the cold season and needed a bath themselves. In a very short time, the self-pity for the hair cut had gone.

"That's right! Ye don't talk so we'll ne'er know!" the burly man laughed and some fellows, his obvious pals, roared along side him.

In the hour he spent in the tavern, he learned more than he hoped. Guardia Castle was only a three day walk over Zenan Bridge to the north and with the lack of good fighters; Crono would easily be drafted if he could prove his worth. Also, though these kind people were at war and their families were likely dying, nothing seemed to stop this small community from enjoying life. If all of Guardia in this timeline was so hopeful, Crono would indeed feel more at ease. He grinned.

"Well lookie here. Da kid's smilin'," The burly man laughed, slapping Crono on the shoulder again.

Crono grinned all the wider and returned the kind slap, throwing a couple coins to buy him more cider. The burly man grinned and tipped his now full mug to his new friend. Crono couldn't help but compare the man to an adventurer he once knew as Toma. He was carefree, full of life, and sometimes too full of cider. Throwing a few more coins on the table, Crono got a room, hoping tomorrow, his journey might get easier, and maybe a bit more fun.

* * *

It was distant, barely audible with the morning sounds but the hint of it on the wind had the swordsman's eyes fluttering open. The sound was that of a bell… he thought. The first rays of sunlight filtered through his window, catching him directly into the slits of his eyes. How badly he wanted to cover his head with the warm blanket, blocking out the light and the soft whispers of the bell. But Crono knew he didn't wake up from a bad dream, he woke up to one.

Stretching the weariness away, arching his back like a feline, the swordsman dropped an arm, ready for the day. The morning was cold, so Crono crawled out of his bed fully clothed. With the exception of grabbing his katanas that rested on the side of his bed, the rest of his time getting ready was fixing up his hair and even that didn't take long. What kept his time in his room was sulking. He did feel lighter without all his hair but still…

Slapping his face with both his hands, Crono smiled, putting the image of himself out of his mind. With a grin, he left his room and skipped down the stairs, quite shocked at what greeted him.

"Well… 'ello lad. Slept well?" a very familiar looking burly man addressed the swordsman.

All Crono could do was shake his head with a smirk on his face. Crono knew the man was still drinking with his friends before he went to sleep and here he was, not a touch of a hang over, greeting him first thing in the morning_._

_That is assuming if the bear of a man even slept_, thought Crono. _But why does he look more awake than I do?_

"Come, sit a spell," the burly man waved with his mug. Crono was at first surprised by the flinch the innkeeper made from his customer's comments. But the swordsman soon realized that mentioning the word "spell" may not sit well with the magicless Guardians and could be taboo. Crono put the useful information away and took a seat by the friendly gentleman.

"Yer goin' to da castle, right?" the man asked with a grin, which only widened after the surprised reaction he got from the young swordsman.

"I knew it! Tryin' to be useful to da crown, I see. But boy, yer swords are flimsy and though ye might make guard, ye'll never make knight."

Crono simply smirked at that and rapped the table for breakfast. The swordsman gave him props, he was a pretty good observer but he couldn't even begin to guess the strength within the young swordsman's spirit. With a war with two great nations, Crono figured the kingdom would take any _human_ they could get and with his experience, he was bound to earn some points with the royals and become a knight. He was losing his magic, he felt it day by day, and he knew he had to get stronger and perhaps also learn more of this new world.

"Since yer headin' fer da castle, perhaps I'll guide ye," the burly man smiled and once Crono turned to him with a hopeful look he added, "If ye buy me a round of apple juice."

The swordsman couldn't contain his laughter and once his breakfast was before him, Crono easily dropped more coin for his new friend. Immediately as the gold hit the counter it vanished, replaced with a new full tankard of apple juice. The burly man laughed and raised the cup.

"Da name's Thomas, lad," the bear of a man said, taking a long swig.

"I'm Crono."

"Good to meet you, Crono," Thomas said, taking another drink of his apple juice. Once it registered to his head, a spray of juice drenched the poor tavern owner.

"Ye can talk!"

Crono, never losing his smirk, just raised his own cup. Thomas quickly returned that smile with a large grin. Tapping their tankards together, they felt they were truly in the best of company.

* * *

"In the forest, sleeping meadows, I hear my soul a singing. In the mountains, dipping hollows, my love will be a bringing. In the ocean, swimming fellows, the water's not worth a sipping. In the plains, churchin' hellos, for now the bell's a ringing. In the tundra, snow follows, for the chill is nipping. Oh, in the city, at the gallows, here I am a fetching. In your heart, come the morrow…"

"You have officially annoyed me. Cease and desist," a tall, well physically fit woman commanded.

The singer of the tune grinned a perfectly, pearly white grin at his associate. How she hated him. Out of the other seven Ring, why did fate have to be so cruel as to stick her with Fife the Bard. Just looking at him, smug with his costumed grin, always disgusted her.

The man wasn't tall at all but his thin frame made him appear such. But other than the lack of nourishment, he was as "perfect" as they came. His hair was a beautiful golden color that cascade down his shoulders like a waterfall that bounced anytime he moved, without a strand out of place. His skin was bronzed but she knew it wasn't because he worked all day long in the sun (it was winter for crying out loud!) but somehow, he sunbathed regularly…. when… she never knew.

As Fife noticed the lady staring at him he made a pose, far too dynamic for what he dressed in. Wearing a bright blue and violet coat, any other man would look silly but he somehow he pulled it off. On top of his perfect hair say a plum hat, with his trademark Roc feather sticking out of the ribbon. On his back he strapped his lute but she knew he never traveled without at least five musical instruments. And with his exotic charm, he had bedded many women in his short lifetime but she simply rolled her eyes at him. He thought her a challenge.

"Ah, my darling Juliana, you wound me to the quick. Don't you know the song was written for you?" Fife said, feinting hurt by touching his heart. His face soon became serious as he raised his chin some and to the left as a tip from a rapier rested against his throat.

"And pray tell, how many women have you lured in with that line?" Juliana passively asked.

Though Fife acted quite flamboyant, he took anything the pirate said seriously. If he answered, he knew she would be quick to maim or even kill, friend or foe alike. If he lied, she most likely would kill him but if he honestly told her about the multiple ladies he had by that one line alone, she would easily carve up his face without a thought. However, not just her hard-to-get affection attracted him but the fact that she was dangerous gave him a thrill he simply couldn't ignore.

Juliana was indeed well toned and her skin was as close to bronze as Fife's own but seemed faded. She did spend time, lots of it, under the sun on her great ship, which happened to be docked for the winter. Always the pirate, she kept her dark brown hair short, keeping it out of her face during combat. But what was ever exotic about her—to Fife's eyes at least—were the several scars, brutal as they were, all along her face. No, it wasn't the scars themselves Fife figured, but the way she carried them proudly that attracted him.

"We've been here for awhile now. Where are these two rogues?" Fife asked in earnest, ignoring her question (and consequences) altogether.

"We're to guard Enhasa. King Noah said nothing about having to eliminate the wandering rogues," she answered passively.

They stayed in that pose for what seemed like eternity, pirate rapier to bard's throat. Fife normally would be confident that any other member of the Ring wouldn't kill another but Juliana was far unpredictable. Many more moments passed between the two. Finally, as quickly as it appeared, the rapier vanished. Fife sighed, only to get knocked down by a hard right hook.

"For your well being, best we guard in opposite directions," the pirate gently stated and walked off.

_She hit me! Me! _the bard thought, watching the woman leave as his eyes were glued to her backside. _What a woman!_

* * *

Night soon fell and Crono and Thomas truly enjoyed one another's company. The burly man, Crono noticed, was a wanderer and an adventurer and soon the swordsman had no doubts he had to be a descendant to Toma in this timeline. And as Thomas recounted many personal adventures, Crono listened intensely. Thomas was a great story teller and enjoyed reciting his adventures while Crono was happy to remain silent and listening to his stories, hoping to get something more out of them than entertainment. As they settled down for the night, Thomas bit into a thick piece of venison.

Dropping the juicy food, the burly man jumped to his feet, drawing a broad sword… at least Crono thought that what it was. The blade was not glittering in the moonlight as one would expect from steel but it couldn't have been made by such metal. It was jet black. Admiring the weapon had to wait as Crono drew his bladed katana, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

As both scanned the immediate area around them, neither noticed the tremor from below. An instant before either could react, two large pinchers exploded from the ground, nicking Crono's shin but the other successfully captured Thomas. Two large centipede type monsters appeared over the swordsman as the one shook the poor adventurer Thomas.

Snapping down with great speed like that of a snake, the creature came down on its prey, expected to grab it in the next moment. Speed and stealth was these creatures' most powerful weapons and nothing was faster than these beasts. Not until Crono shown up to this world.

It wasn't dumb luck that the huge centipede missed the swordsman but the fact that the very moment his shin felt something prick him, he naturally leapt away with his near superhuman speed. The creature was fast but it still seemed slow to Crono's eyes and more importantly, they were predictable. At the last possible second, Crono hopped, as the beast slammed its pinchers into the ground.

The swordsman came down on its head and lightly ran up its arched back. With his light feet as if the creature felt just a breeze along its back, Crono leapt into the air, leaving countless afterimages with the incredible speed he was going. A heartbeat later, Thomas was freed and the creature cried out as a thin blade entered its spine. The swordsman's actions took place in three seconds.

Soon both creatures snapped back up, neither seeming even dazed. Staring from his katana to the creature that was still alive and back to the blade, Crono shook his head, as if this blade betrayed him. The first monster came down and Crono soon crutched, preparing for another spring. However, Thomas moved between the two, broad sword in hand. With a mighty roar, the burly man swung his blade, severing the creature in half, length wise.

Crono's jaw went slack but quickly he regained his poise. His wizard sight was failing each day but he did notice a split second resistance to the sword from a few inches from the beast, as if an invisible shield was absorbing the blow. But that huge, black, mysterious blade cut through the shield as if it was a soap bubble. That bubble popped.

Crono then knew it wasn't his skills that failed but the fact his sword wasn't designed for such battles. But a mischievous smile crept to his face. Perhaps the creatures would be none too well off against magic. Forgetting where he was for a brief moment, he raised his hand to strike the second centipede down with a stroke of lightning. But Thomas was soon in front of him again, lopping the head off the beast in one fell swoop.

"Dat foot work and technique… very impressive lad," Thomas turned with a grin, which Crono quickly returned.

"But…" Crono paused and looked at his perfectly balanced, razor sharp yet worthless weapon.

"Ah, don't be frettin'. Ye just got to get yerself the right knight blade yet," Thomas said, emphasizing his point by slipping his black sword into the earth.

"What is that blade made of?"

Thomas's eyebrow rose at that question and soon he tilted his head. It wasn't so much that Crono spoke that baffled him but the question itself. To Crono, he soon realized that the weapon or more like the alloy was common knowledge. In an attempt to deflect the rising suspicion the swordsman shrugged. Still, Thomas eyed him warily.

"Ye gots yerself a mystery abouts ye. Lots o' secrets I'm guessin'," Thomas broke the stare and looked away. "But who am I to snoop where me nose does no belong? Ye did good by me," Thomas then return to look at the swordsman with his usual sparkle in his eyes and smile on his face. "And that all that matters. What be the blade made of? Why, it's made up o' fine, compressed, metal onyx. Metal onyx, 'tis rare but more in abundance here, which o' course is good fer us. 'Tis the best weapon ta take on magic users."

_That was it! _Crono thought.

With a large grin, the swordsman nodded firmly to his friend. This metal onyx could cut through magic, probably like the properties of the Red Rock and Masamune and that must have been the reason Demir sent him to Guardia. Not only to improve his skills as a swordsman who was losing his magic (and thank heaven he didn't use his precious magic on a simple beast and ruin the trust from his new friend) but he was here to claim a weapon that could actually harm Noah. No longer caring for sleep, Crono ran off with a new spring in his step. He would become a knight, gain a knightly metal onyx sword, and then defeat Noah. It was as simple as that.


	15. Chapter 15: Dreams

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**Dreams**

There the wizard stood, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest with the ever familiar scowl on his face. It annoyed him as he watched the girl at work, tinkering with a machine that was far beyond his knowledge. But he continued to keep watch as she worked, both admiring her genius and hating his own ignorance. Feeling as she knew he was staring at her, the girl turned to the wizard.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," a flustered Janus sharply replied.

"Awwwww, is the big, bad wizard confused with what I am doing?" Lucca teased over her shoulder.

"Perhaps," Janus coolly said, narrowing his eyes. "Or perhaps this magic, science, is quite so pathetic to me that I simply don't care."

The scientist soon got up and turned to the still scowling wizard. Ever since the party split up, for some reason unknown to her, Janus wanted to follow her, though what she would be doing wasn't dangerous in the slightest. The wizard didn't care if there was a battle or not, just so long as their final destination was the same. Lavos. Other than revenge against the beast and sometimes at night, a look of sorrow filled his face, a longing for a sister he lost, he shown no other characteristics. No, Lucca wasn't angry at his sharp statement but she was eager to learn more about him. Now was her chance.

"Knowledge is power and so science is the greatest power of them all. To get stronger is your goal, isn't it?"

"Of course it is but science is a false power," Janus passively answered.

"A false power?" she asked skeptically. "Science has saved countless lives, answered many difficult questions and made life so much easier for all, so how can you call it a false power?"

The wizard's answer came from that of a look around the ruined dome of the future after the apocalypse. Lucca turned and took in the sight too. Once a beautiful civilization was laid to waste by the great beast and science couldn't stop it. Was that what the wizard thought? As if reading her mind, Janus spoke.

"Technology, born from science, becomes commonplace. I have no respect for knights but even they show the _real _power. One can pick up a sword but a man has to train for years to be the best at his craft. A wizard has to study to learn the powers of the elements they control. But technology…" the prince emphasized more of his speech by spreading his arms out wide. "Anyone can use. A child with a gun could kill. That's not power. And these ruins could have easily been made by man and his ambition for greatness. Magic, true magic, is the real power to the world for one must earn it, not have it given to you by another and it is magic that will end Lavos's terror."

Lucca listened intently and even though Janus tried to belittle her strong faith in science, she did not seem upset. Quite the opposite. She got a glimpse into the soul of the mysterious wizard and with a genuine smile, she went back to work.

Stunned by his own foolishness, now realizing Lucca's true intentions, the wizard stood there baffled. Slowly, he regained his composure and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. He admired the silly woman's determination and stubbornness, not unlike his own. The only difference, she never voiced her opinion in a way that would offend others. She may not think much of the wizard but the prince knew how he felt in his heart of hearts. She did seem, in many ways, a kindred spirit.

The prince smirked as the girl got up, rubbing some sweat off her brow. Though the deadly and endless winter was bitter outside, they were down below and in close, stuffy quarters. Obviously, the scientist was hot. To relieve such discomfort, she began removing her shirt. The prince frowned as the world faded. He felt danger about.

Rolling off the bed the moment he felt conscious, the wizard narrowly escaped death's door as a huge axe split his bed in half, length ways. A curse escaped the shadow over the now destroyed bed and Janus echoed that curse. He was enjoying that dream, unlike the many nightmares that haunted him usually, and someone now interrupted that. Unforgivable.

"I'm impressed, Zealian. You have the instincts of a warrior!"

Janus rose from the ground to his full height in nothing but his white cotton underpants. Though such an image would be found amusing, the attacker wouldn't drop his guard. The wizard was confident, armor or no, weapon or no. He could have been naked and his deadly aura would still linger about and he wouldn't show any emotion, like that of a brick wall.

Before the wizard squat a tall, lean yet muscular humanoid male. It's skin was a dull gray, like the stone statues back in Janus's old castle and it's hair was long, wavy and green, as if someone took seaweed from the lake and simply dumped it on his head. The mystic was crotched with the largest axe the prince had ever seen. Two more large axes rested against his back, crossed over one another, while along his waist rest many, many throwing axes. Donned in chainmail, the warrior was more than ready for combat but his caution the wizard could only take as a matter that Janus was a Zealian and thus, a magic user.

"Tyz I presume?" Janus sneered at the brute.

"Ah, my reputation precedes me. Have you heard the time—"

"That you ran away from a rabbit?" Janus interrupted.

The warrior paused, his mouth agape. No one, with the exception of his rival, would dare say such a thing. He couldn't help his eye from twitching but if it was from confusion or rage, Janus couldn't tell. Soon the warrior regained his senses as he noticed Janus's eyes moved to his left. On instincts, the warrior quickly looked to his right and noticed a huge, bulky white scythe.

For some reason, the mystic couldn't guess, the wizard wanted to get to a weapon. Why would a magic user want one and what stupid magic user would wield a farmer's tool as their weapon of choice? Still, Tyz felt more comfortable fighting a fellow warrior than a tricky wizard. Pointing with his chin towards the scythe, the warrior took a step back but wouldn't take his gaze off the white haired, paled skin Zealian.

Janus couldn't stop the wicked smile inching its way to his face. Never taking his gentle, lavender eyes off the brute, the prince made his way to his weapon. He didn't know if the Mystic would attack him the moment his fingers caressed the shaft of his scythe but something told him that Tyz would wait until he was ready. Why? He couldn't guess. He doubted it was honor but perhaps he wanted just a real fight. Taking his scythe in hand the wizard sigh a genuine sigh.

"Feels good touching a weapon, aye?" the mystic grinned.

"No," Janus slowly closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. "I'm just relieved. Your pride, your ignorance and most importantly, your cowardice to assassinate a defenseless opponent while he slept shows that you are the prime example of a Mystic. How different I've seen your kind. It's a relief to find that you are no different from the bias your race should be."

A burst of outrage exploded from the Mystic as he howled and slashed out to his opponent. Janus, as graceful as a hunting cat, swiftly moved to the left with such fluent and lack of energy, it seemed as if he vanished to the mystic's eyes for the briefest of moments. Down came the white scythe with such grace and speed, the warrior almost… almost, lost his head in the unexpected move. Bringing his axe up to bare and parrying the blow, he quickly reversed the swing for a counter attack but he hit only air.

Far below the swing the wizard ducked, using the pole end of the scythe behind both the Mystic's knees. Again, the unexpected move had the warrior reeling, falling on his back by the impressive trip. But even in a prone position, he was still a deadly opponent. Before the wizard could finish his would be assassin, he was dancing to keep from having a rain of throwing axes thrown his way.

Kicking off the floor, the Mystic charged again, going into a systematic pattern of swipes. Intercepting each attack with his huge blade of his own, Janus kept up to the ferocity and axesmanship the Mystic through at him. Until he heard the faintest of sounds, that of a crack.

One powerful swing of the axe came down to the expected parry, shattering the Death Scythe to millions of fragments. Taking the advantage as the Mystic thought Janus confused and defenseless, Tyz followed up with his axe, swinging high. Yet even though the extremely powerful weapon, very magical or at least was, was indeed a great shock to the wizard, such trivial things he pushed from his mind. Walking below and into the overhead chop, Janus slammed the top of his now white pole underneath the Mystic's chin.

Both blood and spit erupted from the warrior as his world began to spin. A comforting darkness awaited him but Tyz quickly shook the blackness away. His foe, a wizard no less, truly knew how to fight. If he lowered his guard for even a second...

His thoughts became reality as the white staff connected with his abdomen. How accurate it was thrust along with the surprising strength had the warrior flying back. And out a window. Normally falling from ten floors would cause anyone to lose their nerves but Tyz kept his focus, twisting the end of his axe. In a split second, the head of the axe shot out with a chain attached to it, embedding itself onto the seal of the window he just flew out of.

With another twist, the handle retracted itself back to its head and to the window it held. A grin, one of determination and confidence spread across the warrior's face. How surprised the wizard would be, seeing the warrior's return. As Tyz began lifting himself over the window, he froze.

With his staff in one hand, the wizard had his other out, palm almost right at the warrior's face. Then, a thousand watts of electricity from what seemed like a maelstrom of lightning blew the mighty warrior from the window again. This time, he was blissfully unaware he was falling.

"To defeat Tyz as quickly as you did, you most definitely have quite a bit of skill of arm," a voice said from nowhere in particular.

"Do all of you Mystics so enjoy invading other's privacy?" the prince sneered as he went to get dressed.

Fading into view, the sorceress, Bonnie, watched the Zealian from behind. The battle she just watched and for her to care about martial arts was very distance, she was truly impressed. He was extremely skilled with a heavy and bulky weapon and his fluent movements were really breathtaking. How he adjusted when his great weapon was destroyed in the middle of combat was less than short of magnificent. But what really blew her mind was the level of spell the wizard used to finish the battle.

"What truly brings you here? If you are able to cast such a powerful spell, I don't see a need for you learning magic."

Throwing his white cape over his shoulders, the wizard took measures of the woman. It took him more than a moment to consider her words and then he knew his weak spell was something even the most experienced lightning mage had difficulties learning. His attention soon fell to his scythe, or what was left of it. Nothing in all the multiverse should have had the power to destroy Charon's Scythe but it seemed Noah's spell weakened it tremendously to a point of frailty. With a shrug, he felt all he needed was a new scythe.

Soon his keen senses told him that he was alone. Taking in his surroundings, it seemed that the sorceress left without getting an answer. Time, such an unavoidable enemy that the prince ever knew was growing long, even though it was only an hour after daybreak. He wanted to get his training underway and leave this hovel as soon as humanly possible. However, he couldn't help but think the "hovel" was impressive, quite a few similarities of the castle he ruled back in his timeline.

Annoyance soon crept into his very being. First he was awoken from a blissful dream and thrown into mortal combat against these peoples mightiest of warriors and in that battle, he lost his scythe. Now, when he could start his training, the sorceress vanished as quickly as she appeared and now he had to go look for her. He wondered what would happen next.

"Perhaps I'll misfire my fire spell and lose all my hair," the prince grumbled.

Moving from corridor to corridor, receiving some stares that promised death while others were more curious, the prince continued his straightforward march to the back doors of the castle. As costumed, wizards and their mighty spells needed as much room as possible. With close quarters, many expensive items and the rooms themselves could be destroyed and more importantly, innocent lives could easily come to an end, even the caster of the spell. So, if the prince was to train, it would be outside where he hoped to meet Bonnie.

However, what met his eyes was astonishing. The snow was descending on the land, instantly chilling the wizard's sunburned face but before him as far as he could see was a huge garden of many different types of flowers. The snow seemed to stop ten feet above the garden and each snowflake changed into a drop of refreshing rain upon the flowers. The wizard was curious about how such a magic barrier was made or the purpose behind the flowers. Perhaps the flowers were just for sight, to beautify the dreariness of the dark castle or maybe they were used for ingredients for alchemy. Janus thought the latter was more believable.

Such a spectacle could wait investigation during his own time and only if he cared then. Taking in more of the surrounding around, he did find the Mystic he was looking for in a field outside the garden, as if awaiting the prince. With a smirk at the irony of it all, the wizard soon moved towards the woman.

"Cast your weakest, attacking spell," the mystic commanded.

Janus flinched. It was an order he couldn't shake. Bonnie made it sound like he didn't have a choice in the matter, which he wasn't going to be a student but a servant. So many died trying to control Janus and it took all his will not to add Bonnie's name to that list.

Dropping his white pole, the wizard began his chant, falling into the coldness of death. Now, even the flakes seemed far warmer than the wizard, as his hands moved in rapid succession. The words rolled off his tongue, the chant easily came to him. Pointing his finger out to the middle of the clearing, the wizard dropped his hand to the side.

From the heavens a slab of ice fell, crushing the earth with its weight, then a second crushed its sister, shattering the first in millions of shards of shrapnel. A low whistle escaped the sorceress's lips, for she was indeed impressed. She thought this Zealian a lightning mage with the performance he showed during his battle with Tyz but now she had just witness him summon ice. But something tugged at her…

"I said your _weakest_, attack spell," she clarified. The prince smirked at the sorceress.

"That _was_ my weakest spell. Slow to cast with a none-too-impressive outcome. One can easy dodge the first block of ice and only the little ice projectiles would do some, though minor, damage. The second block only advantage is that it acts as a shield. So the best way to use such a weak spell to a better advantage…" the wizard trailed off, falling into another spell, this time, tapping into the burning rage in his heart.

In a blur, faster than the sorceress could keep up, his hands almost made her eyes crossed while his dazzling chant had her head spinning. Not a flake could touch his skin now and if he wasn't so enthralled in the spell, he would have noticed his sunburn face felt like it was going to melt off. In a few heartbeats, the wizard pointed at the ice wall, releasing a huge ripple of fire from his person, melting the ice in an instant.

"If the enemy tried to move around the wall, they would be quite surprised to see a rolling wave of fire coming at them. Any who stayed behind the wall would now be exposed to arrows or other projectiles—" Janus then cut his description of a possible scenario short as he watched a baffled sorceress and her jaw hanging low from yet another powerful spell being unleashed. Or perhaps how Janus kept thinking several steps ahead is what befuddled her, he didn't know nor did he care.

"Again I ask," Bonnie began, futilely hiding how impressed she was, "if you have such spells, why do you wish to learn magic that you already know and are beyond my own?"

Janus flinched at the woman. Saying his weakest spells were already signs that he was the stronger of the two. He flinched again that he would have to reveal his own weakness.

"Sometimes my spells work, other times they don't. Obviously, I want them to work full time," Janus answered.

"Well, first we must know what your element is than and mastering three, I can see how you can be confused by which element is yours."

"Shadow is my element. The other spells are just something I decided to pick up so I'm not held back by one element alone," the wizard stated.

Bonnie turned to the barren land that was quickly beginning to be covered with snow, as if the mighty fire never happened. Many thoughts ran through her head. She had no idea where this Zealian came from but his surprising action, one after another, shown her that he was perhaps stronger in arms than Tyz, more tactile and clever than Orion and could be more powerful than she with magic. It was obvious this Zealian skipped over the lower level lightning, fire and ice and went right on into the more powerful, second level of each of their power, all of this because he didn't want to be tied down by a single element. But from one magical glance at the wizard, she had a question that needed answered.

"Alright, let's see some shadow magic."

Janus grinned, enjoying the fact that these weak Mystics were so impressed by his feats. Waving his arms about, he called upon the darkness within his soul, demanding to bring it to the physical weave of energy he desired. He wouldn't dare open the gates of Dark Matter, so a simple Dark Bomb would easily impress the sorceress. Pointing his finger out, he called out the spell. Nothing happened, with the exception of Janus feeling his magic draining too quickly, engulfing his heart. Soon, the wizard was on a knee, gasping for breath.

In that instant, as he struggled for air, that his spells weren't chaotic but his shadow spells were beyond him. No… not beyond him… but not there altogether. He, a shadow mage, could not cast a single shadow spell. And unlike the time he lost his magic to Lavos, he knew this was different. He would never be able to wield shadow again.

Counting back the days, the prince sought when he at last used his shadow magic and the first time it faltered. He remembered using his magic against Saturn in the Temple of Black and then when it failed him when battling Noah. So what happened between those two times that caused him to lose his magic?

_The Black Wind!_ Janus thought, his eyes bulging so much that they may roll right out of his head. Indeed, the source of his magic of shadow was gone. His dreams to grow stronger had been shattered. He bowed his head, completely defeated.


	16. Chapter 16: Forever Out of Reach

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**Forever Out of Reach**

A day after crossing Zenan Bridge, Crono soon realized that he came home. Coming out of his timeline and into the one he now traveled from the continent of Zeal to the southern shores of Guardia, nothing seemed familiar. In his world, Crono noted, the land masses changed dramatically and Southern Guardia was far different than the green, thick wood that surrounded it. But once in Northern Guardia, in the city of Truce, almost everything appeared the same, as if he truly came home.

The familiarity of the land was not lost the Thomas, who thought Crono to be not just a worn traveler but a foreigner as well. How the swordsman took in the sights, more guiding the burly man than the other way around, puzzled Thomas. He lived between the northern and southern continent and felt like he knew Truce very well. Somehow, he believed, this kid knew Truce better than he.

The buildings, the land, the trees and most of the people appear to mirror his own timeline, his own time. The only real visible difference, it seemed, was the people were stuck in the Medieval Age. The style of clothing people wore lack of electricity and of course seeing an occasional knight in full plate mail only added to the variation. These differences he welcomed for the swordsman didn't want to hold onto any false illusions that he had truly came home.

"Come now, lad. We still gots a day's worth o' travelin' to yonder castle," Thomas pointed out to the great woods and mighty hill where the Guardia Castle sat.

But Crono had other plans. With a grin to his friend, Crono sprinted away and into an alley, into a street and into another alley, losing Thomas in the first turn. Indeed, the swordsman had every intention of going to Guardia Castle but unlike his well traveled friend, he wanted to be presentable. After ducking around and shopping some, Crono soon returned to find Thomas chatting up with a girl, no less than half his age.

The swordsman was relieved that he didn't lose his friend, the sight of Thomas charming a girl who would be younger than Crono himself, didn't sit well with him. With a cough, Crono hoped to get the burly man's attention. It didn't. Tapping Thomas roughly on the shoulder, to kindly draw a response away for just a second, didn't work. Giving the man a swift kick in the pants, Crono finally got the attention he wanted.

Thomas stood up, a head taller than the swordsman and glowered to the unexpected strike. To hit a man from behind for any reason was an act of dishonor. Not befitting a knight. However, the moment his eyes, which had seen many a land, many a battle and many adventures, couldn't help but shrink back as his gaze locked unto the young swordsman's. In Crono's eyes, completely fearless and had seen far more than Thomas could see in several lifetimes, had the burly man backing away more than a step.

"Ye shouldn't attack from behind," the adventurer said, trying to sound confident.

"And you should do well and act the part of a chivalrous man and not tread on the young hearts around you just to make yourself feel younger," Crono countered passively.

Hearing the boy had Thomas raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side. Such a stream of words took the man many moments to sort out. But once he realized what the swordsman was getting at, Thomas released the loudest, most humorous laugh Crono ever heard.

"Ye thought? Ye honestly thought?" Thomas laughed, turning back to the girl and draping an arm around her. "Lad, we need to improve yer observation skills. Such improper talk before me niece!"

Crono balk at that and it was his turn to back up a step. The girl giggled at the handsome swordsman and curtsied as her father and her uncle taught her whenever she was introduced. But taking a moment to look the girl over, there were indeed a lot of similarities from her and Thomas. The most recognizable features that proved to the swordsman that she was kin were first her long, curly and thick volume hair that no hairbrush would stand a chance to control. And her eyes… so full of life and determination, thrilled to seek an adventure truly spoke to the swordsman.

Now realizing his own foolishness for even doubting the noble character of his friend, Crono dipped into a low bow, smiling all the while. Again, Thomas released a full belly laugh and soon his niece began to giggle sweetly. Though embarrassed as he was and their laughter was at his expense, Crono, too, joined in on the laughter. The moment passed, all catching their breaths.

"Are ye ready than?" Thomas asked with a large grin. Crono returned the grin and gave his friend one of his characteristic nods.

* * *

"Lately your eyes travel south. It's been sometime since the rogues entered our domain. I find myself fascinated that you keep waiting for them," a gentle voice spoke underneath a red hooded robe.

"What I seek is not here and not these rogues that we are to keep a vigil of," a beautiful, young woman with a silk rob that clung to every curve of her frame replied.

The man, with the molten red robes he wore and the hood that only ever showed his chin made it impossible to guess his age. He moved to her side with such grace that it appeared as he floated to her. He lifted his head up slightly so he could be able to see his peer but not have her see him. Gazing to the same direction his fellow Ring member stared, he attempted to put himself into her shoes, though it was impossible. Both knew the other was a mystery and both respected the other's privacy.

"His majesty, Noah, will not have us guard Kajar forever. Whatever you seek, you shall find and soon," the red robed wizard stated with a nod.

A smile crept to her face and she glanced to the man who remained motionless, as if he was just a backdrop to a painting and the landscape was the masterpiece. He couldn't possibly understand the implications of those words and if he did, she wondered, would he still offer them? She always knew the red fire wizard, Infreyo, as a calm and quiet sort and for him to offer a kind word was unheard of.

"I hope you find what you seek as well," the lady kindly said.

Without a word and as silent as an owl in flight, the red wizard glided away, if for no other reason just to distance himself from the conversation that would be pointless. Soon he was gone and even sooner, to the black robed female, forgotten.

* * *

The night was frigid and the wind was merciless to those who would dare travel outside and far from shelter. However, the duo were sheltered and well by the thick trees of Guardia Forest and the fire they kept was warm and welcoming. Crono's actions in town, both getting clean clothes that were more fitting to meet nobles and along with some deep red hair dye to further disguise him along with the scene in town cost them time that they needed to reach the castle before nightfall. But the swordsman stretched his muscles and locked his fingers behind his head, enjoying the crisp night.

Thomas was grateful for the break too but for other reasons. What the adventurer saw in Crono was real potential! He had the dedication, the drive, the sense of honor and a strong arm to be a knight. However, one element was missing and it was crucial that Crono should learn. Proper etiquette.

"We'll be at Guardia Castle an hour before midday. I shall introduce ye to me good friend, the Knight Captain and if yer lucky, ye will meet the king and queen. But ye are a strange one, lad. Ye seem foreign to our lands yet ye seemed familiar with Truce. So answer this question honestly. Do ye know anythin' about the king and queen?"

Crono thought that over a bit for he knew his friend's observations about him were on target. But he felt confident that he didn't need to lie. The swordsman shook his head. Truly, he had no idea who the king and queen were.

"Then know ye this, they be youngens like yerself but like yerself, they be more than they appear. They are our leaders and such, ye do well to give them the proper respect," Thomas finished without room for debate.

Crono smirked and nodded his head. To give proper respect to royalty was always a given, be King Guardia the First or Thirty-first. He even tried to be respectful towards the Queen of Zeal but that ended with him and his old friends battling a golem. The only royalty he felt he couldn't bring himself to kneel before was that of his old love Marle, believing themselves as equals. Of course, one other royal he rather eat gallons of pio and wash it down with gallons of soda before even acknowledging any proper respect, was his ever proud wizard friend, Janus.

Remembering his friends, those who've gone before, soon led him down the reverie of their final battle. He could not avoid the cheerful faces of his friends and the horrible fate that awaited them. He tried to put them far from his thoughts but that only intensified the images. Sleep took him and their faces followed the swordsman into his nightmares.

* * *

"Did ye rest well?" Thomas asked with a smirk.

Crono had no doubts that Thomas already knew that answer. What disturbed the adventurer was the cold eyes and scowl that was painted of the swordsman's face. The nightmares he saw had the boy tossing and turning in the night had to be terrible at the lost of Crono's spirit. Thomas could only hope it was temporary, since they would soon be in Guardia Castle.

As promised by Thomas, the two men made it to the castle grounds by midday. Ever so often the burly man glanced over to Crono, he saw the boy in some sort of inner turmoil, one which he wished he could be of some help and peace of mind. The sparkle in the fiery haired boy's eyes, the playful grin truly belonged on the face of the swordsman that walked beside him, not a cold glare and deep scowl he believed so foreign to the boy it must have made Crono's face hurt.

"I know this maybe harder than it sounds but ye need to cheer up," Thomas said.

Crono turned his glare to the burly man, who took a step back. But the swordsman's anger and despair was not pointed the man's way but neither could Crono dispel the friends that haunted his mind. Thomas realized this, that he wasn't being glare at but rather through, to some painful event in Crono's life. Still, Thomas knew Crono's attitude was paramount to the swordsman's goals.

"Knights are men yet they are more. They be a symbol to the people, a symbol of hope and strength. When a knight smile, the people smile. If a knight is happy, so are the people," Thomas said, stopping his friend with a clasp on the shoulder.

It was that which finally dragged the swordsman out of his dark hole. His despair and failures were great sins indeed, but his newest adventure was leading him down the same unchanging path he always set out for himself. To save the world. That had never changed and even though Lavos was defeated, his world still was held in the balance thanks to Noah.

Touching his friend's hand with his own, Crono nodded and managed a weak smile. Thomas didn't know it at the time but he gave Crono a weapon to fight off his despair. His journey was more than himself and whatever follies he may have done, he had to move forward. Yes, he would "cheer up," even if it was forced, to save his timeline.

Within an hour they entered the castle and to Crono's utter disbelief, both castle guards bowed to the travel worn adventurer. He knew the moment he met Thomas that he was far more than he appeared. As they maneuvered around the incredibly huge castle (though it was exactly like his own!) the swordsman's suspicions continued to grow as guard and knight bowed to him and servants paid him a familiar smile and wave. But even through all the attention he got, the sight of Crono, as eased in Guardia Castle, as if it was his home, sent many red flags off in Thomas's mind. Could he have brought a spy and assassin to Guardia's heart?

_No. _Thomas thought, shaking his doubts away. He always prided himself on being an excellent judge of character and the character of Crono was that of greatness. This, he wholeheartedly believed.

Soon they were descending down the great stairs of the western wing, where at the bottom rested and housed all the knights. Unlike the Medieval Age or the First Millennium castles, the single room was grand and richer than Crono had ever seen it. The room was far larger than he ever could believe the people of Guardia could construct. Showing smaller rooms in the great room he was standing in, Crono could compare his sight as an underground city in its own right, which each of these smaller rooms were houses!

As they neared the first room (and upon closer inspections it was indeed a house!) a man in olden plated armor, regal by his feature with a well kept but extremely bushy mustache and a short military haircut, step out of the house. At first he appeared shocked to see two non knights in the Knight's Quarters but a smile quickly came to his face. Clasping Thomas by the wrist, the Knight Captain laughed.

"Sir Thomas, my old friend. What brings thou here? Business or pleasure?" the Knight Captain said, emphasizing the last word clearly.

"Business," Thomas said somberly, which somber his friend's features.

Easily draping his arm around the swordsman, Thomas gave him a good couple of pulls showing the Knight Captain the boy he brought him. Indeed, it was common for Thomas to bring potential knights to the castle. Under close inspection, the Knight Captain shook his head. True, the boy and indeed Crono was a boy, had corded muscles and a luster in his eyes to carry him far. But he seemed…

"Too young, Thomas, too young. The boy hath not even come of age yet," the captain said, eyeing his friend.

"Bah, the boy and his name be Crono, is more older than ye think," Thomas said but added soon after seeing his friend's obvious doubts. "Aye, he's young but already seen more than ye can believe!"

Such conviction from the burly man had the Knight Captain taking a second measure of the boy. Never before had Thomas sounded so sure. The boy was indeed battled hardened and his unique auburn hair that was short and spiked showed a fiery desire for battle. But it was his eyes, those bright blue eyes, so focused and disciplined, which reminded the captain of many seasoned warrior veterans. The boy was not even eighteen, yet he was so experienced!

"Where did thou find him?" the Knight Captain asked questionably.

"Lost in the Mountains of Torn," Thomas lied and made it a point to not hide it.

_Thy plot thickens, _the Knight Captain thought, arching an eyebrow. Such stories were not Thomas's way. However, it was not uncommon but only twice before did the adventurer handed the captain a possible knight in secrecy. Both times, the boys were diamonds in the rough and did well in the courts, even to this day.

"He hath got no noble blood," the Knight Captain said, testing Thomas.

"Bah, ye knowin' we've hadn't done such practices back before we broke from Zeal. Hell, more than three-quarters of yer knights are humble!" Thomas countered, playing his role perfectly for the only onlooker.

With a broad grin and a friendly pat on his friend's shoulder, the captain nodded, feigning a force acceptation. Crono was baffled by it all but he was sure something positive must he happening for both men were grinning from ear to ear. Crono figured, at that moment, he was in need to improve his politic skills.

"Alright Crono. Here be where we part," Thomas said, clasping Crono on his wrist. "Hopefully our paths will cross again."

Leaving Crono in good hands, Thomas swiftly (too swiftly, Crono noted) exited from the lower city. Turning back to the captain, Crono noticed he was being examined once more, like one of Lucca's guinea pigs he often found himself being.

"Any questions? Let it be known now, this may well be the only time thou may do so. Thou soon will be my squire and most likely will remain silent," the Knight Captain asked sternly.

Crono nodded, for he indeed had many questions and being the silent type anyways, he knew this may be the only time he might speak without suspicion. Two questions arisen to his mind and two that only mattered.

"What's your name, my lord?" Crono asked, trying to act the part of a squire. The Knight Captain smiled at the question for the question was truly important. The boy did have potential.

"I am Sir Alexander, my young squire but that name thee shalt not use until thou ascends to Apprentice Knight and even then, thou shalt call me captain," the Knight Captain said sternly.

"One more question, my lord," Crono said, sweeping into a bow. "Thomas. He is a knight, is he not?"

The Knight Captain remained silent for many, many minutes. His trust in Thomas went above friends, they were blood brother, but Alexander couldn't help but give Crono a suspicious stare. For anyone of Guardia to not know Thomas was unheard of. As the minutes continued to pass; neither broke eye contact, trying to read the other. The Knight Captain soon began thinking back that Crono could be a spy but just as quickly shook the preposterous idea away. Crono honestly asked that question and that alone told the knight the swordsman was no spy, for Thomas was well known in Zeal as well.

"Aye, Sir Thomas was not just one of us; he was the best of us. He is retired now, at least, in the eyes of the crown. He would lift his blade for justice and defend the people but on his terms alone," the captain said gently and finished, "and speak no more for that is all but Thomas and his and her majesty to know. I doubt anymore I speakth would clarify of his early 'retirement.'"

Crono silently nodded, excepting the vague but honest answer. He wanted to know more of his new friend, to have the friendship continues to grow. But the swordsman could already guess that as long as he remains in the castle and become a knight, he would not see Thomas again. However, such sadness could not override his noble intentions to hone his skills, to rise to a level beyond Noah.

"Cometh. We speakth with his and her majesty," the captain instructed, heading up the huge stairs.

Half-way to the top, the captain felt only his presence. Over his shoulder he saw Crono, silent and refusing to move. The confused expression on Crono's face spoke volumes. The captain laughed.

"Even a squire cannot have such an honorable title until given by the crown! Cometh!"

Obediently, the swordsman followed. It was a habit of the swordsman to meet royalty; he usually ended up in prison. But such thoughts were fleeting for he was with not just a knight but the Knight Captain.

As they weaved their way back to the castle's first level, it became apparent to the Knight Captain, as it was with Thomas, that the boy was too familiar with the castle. Suspicion and caution was what kept the Guardians alive for all the centuries. But he, too, was a knight who held trust and honor to the highest regard. He had to trust Crono or more importantly, he had to trust his old friend.

After many minutes of walking, the knight and swordsman finally arrived at the main hall leading to two large, oak doors. Noticing the approach of the Knight Captain, one of the two soldiers moved into the room while the other always guarded and always found it ridiculous to guard the throne room from the Knight Captain. Soon the first soldier knocked from within, a sign signal to the other to open the door.

"I give you Sir Alexander the Noble, Knight Captain of Guardia," the soldier dramatically called.

As he was properly introduced and taking his cue, the captain marched proudly with his head up high into the throne room while Crono followed right behind, keeping a respectable distance. Once the knight began to fall to a knee, so too did the swordsman mimic his new lord.

"Ah, Sir Alexander. 'Tis an honor to see thee again. What news on the battlefield?" a young voice Crono never heard before said. It took all of Crono's discipline to keep his eyes to the floor.

"Nay. I cometh for other reasons. This boy, Crono by name, is an inspiring knight, handed to us by Sir Thomas. I wish to have him as my squire," the captain said.

"Thomas! Thomas is here? Alexander, you should have…" the queen's words continued on but Crono was not listening. It was the voice that overtook his common sense to keep his eyes down. But the sudden and raw urge to see who the voice belonged to was too much for him to bear. Before his eyes, without any doubts, was Marle. "…for the former knight to bring us…"

No one, not even the queen, saw Crono move. So quick was the swordsman it seemed as if he disappeared on the spot and reappeared twenty feet away, with his arms wrapped around the queen. After many blinks of sheer disbelief, all the soldiers and the captain had their swords drawn and advancing swiftly to the assailant.

The king, sitting next to his queen and seeing the assault in a more intimate manner, became infuriated. However, each soldier slowed to a stop, the king's expression changed to confusion as the swordsman's shoulders bobbed and his tears streamed down his cheeks and wetting the queens' blouse. The queen was also shocked, unable to understand the stranger. Indeed, she wanted to comfort the poor man's soul but too dumbfounded as she was she just sat, unsure what to do.

A rough hand peeled Crono from the queen and a flick of his surprisingly strong wrist, the captain through the swordsman and had him flying. All eyes fell on the Knight Captain as he glared at the boy he foolishly and proudly said he wanted as a squire. With a point of his sword, he commanded, "Take him!"

"Assault on the Queen! Even if thou was not to harm the most noble lady, thou hath no right to touch her. Take him!"

Crono surrendered without a fight, accepting the shackles as they were placed on him. His eyes were still blurry from his tears but he continued to see Marle. But seeing her confused and unrecognizable expression, he knew she wasn't his Marle. How he cursed himself for dreaming, even if it was a fleeting dream. Marle was and always would be forever out of his grasp. The curse continued. Another castle, another dungeon.


	17. Chapter 17: Apprentice

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**Apprentice**

"He's sulking," a mixture of both a gruff yet gentle voice pointed out.

"He bested you in combat, so do you honestly believe such a man even knows how to sulk?" Bonnie countered.

"I was not bested!" the Mystic, Tyz, bellowed and halted their walk down the curving hall. "If I decided not to hold back, he would be dead."

A long silent came after and the two stared at the other. Both were counterweights for the other in King Orion's court. Bonnie with her gift of both magic and wisdom and Tyz with his strength in arms and tactical mind proved to be well in balance. They knew there was no real point in staring at their opposite, other than their eyes would dry out before the other blinked. As always, the wiser or perhaps the less proud of the two, Bonnie, broke the stare and moved around her fellow Mystic.

"You tried to assassinate him," Bonnie accused.

"Testing his reflexes," Tyz corrected, for indeed, though with all his prejudice of humans and more so for the magic wielding Zealians, the warrior had no interest in killing the white haired wizard.

What intrigued the warrior was how well the wizard _outfought_ his outlaws, at least that's his soldiers told him. Tyz was not disappointed that once he slipped into the Zealian's quarters and lifted his axe above his head, the white one awoke and dodged the attack in a breath. He would've held his pose for all of eight hours until the man awoke but to react while one was asleep showed great sixth sense of danger and alertness.

Tyz nodded in agreement to himself. Without a doubt, it might have been possible that the Zealian was holding back in their fight as well. If that was the case, he was quite surprised a Zealian wizard held such finesse. More importantly, the white one could prove a fighting equal, next to another, in time.

"He should be under me. With the proper training, he could make an excellent warrior," Tyz said with a touch of sympathy in his voice.

Bonnie remained quiet, shaking her head all the while. She didn't doubt Tyz's claims. For this Zealian, who ironically calls himself Magus, seemed full of promise, full of possibilities and mostly, full of pride. Yes, Magus could make a mighty warrior but Bonnie knew his powers, his true powers, lied dormant and out of the wizard's reach and such power was of the mind and not of the arm.

Magus's claims seemed very true to the Mystic sorceress. He only learned to fight just in case someone foolishly thought him weak in close quarters. That was the greatest disadvantage to all spellcasters. They never cared much for armor, it slowed their spellcasting and weapons were useless compare to a bolt of lightning. However, if a fighter got into a wizard's face, they were all but doomed. Magus didn't believe in weakness, so he rid himself of the greatest flaw to all wizards.

And then there was the other statement the white wizard said that more than disturbed the Mystic sorceress. He claimed to have once been a mighty Shadow Mage, which she did not doubt but what he said in regards to simply learning the second level spells of lightning, fire and ice was extraordinary and more so, he skipped learning the lower level spells for he thought they would be a waste of time! Still, Bonnie feared the great magic this Zealian already holds but she also believed it was just not enough to defeat Noah.

Coming upon the door, the Mystics halted as the door burst open and the Zealian stormed out, appearing as if he was floating off the ground. Both Mystics shared a look and followed cautiously after the white flowing caped wizard. They had to jog to keep up but in the end, Tyz realized something and stopped the chase. Noticing the lack of company, Bonnie also ceased her run, turning a questionable gaze to the warrior.

"He is a fighter! I knew it!" Tyz laughed and once Bonnie tilted her head, he laughed all the more. "Don't you see where he's going? He's heading for the forge. I bet… hahaha."

Bonnie turned and resumed her chase for the white wizard, not interested in Tyz's babbles. However, his laughs continued to echo down the hall, following her, grating on her nerves. But the warrior made no move to follow, laughing where he was, which soon ended as she spiraled down far enough away from the warriors' mockery. Down she moved, more curious as to why such a magic craving man would want a forge for?

Spiraling down pass the earth, the sorceress paused, hearing a faint tap-tapping sound from further down below. Down she continued to the forge's door, which creaked open with her touch. She peeked inside, seeing an amazing sight.

Dressed only in his lower clothing, Magus was working furiously on his scythe. The blade was lost and even if one could repair the blade, its magic was no more. Yet the wizard seemed not to care, pounding away at the metal, chipping the rest of the blade off. Soon, he began his real work, pounding at the top of the scythe, the remaining metal, smoothing and rounding it out.

"Tyz thinks you would make a fine fighter," Bonnie said softly, opening the door slowly.

She got no response other than the sound of a hammer on metal. Watching the wizard at work was quite interesting to the sorceress. In the firelight, the wizard's pale skin and fair hair flickered red. The sight was exactly what she thought him like. A cold interior with a burning desire. As his sweat beaded down around his thin yet tone chest, Bonnie could do no more but to admire the exotic human.

"I think he would be right!" she spat, more at her own thoughts of showing even the slightest interest in a human.

Again, no response.

His focus on his work also intrigued her. At first, she thought him an impatient one. Indeed, learning such powerful magics at a young age as well as being a great warrior in his own right, showed him as too eager but it all paid off. So how could he focus on minuscule work?

Finding a quiet corner so she could watch him at work, the sorceress looked on in a different light. The wizard was more puzzling as anyone she had ever known yet his story seemed to be easily readable if you could flip their pages. She watched, shoving down any attraction she felt and desire the man more than he could even know.

An hour became two as the relentless wizard pounded on the steel. Once satisfied by the top of his now blunt weapon, Janus moved over to a water basin, instantly cooling the metal with a resounding _hiss_. He admired his craft, the staff's top was indeed round but that was only half of what he desired. The next part, the prince had to move quickly for the metal was soft but would harden soon enough. Taking a chisel, the prince began to carve into the round metal, creating all around the ball, the royal crest of Zeal and on the top of the orb, his initials of JZ. The characters of his initials were ancient and anyone, including the sorceress he now noticed in the forge, would see them as no more than runes.

"Leave me," Janus commanded.

"I don't think so. I was told to train you and I intend to follow my king's orders," Bonnie countered passively.

"I'm as blunt as this weapon," Janus sighed while gently laying the staff on the anvil.

"You've got much to learn, apprentice," Bonnie said, shaking her head.

"Don't call me apprentice!"

"I surely will not call you 'Magus' for that title you need to earn. You are not wise and unless you tell us your real name, I shall not call you wise one."

"Whatever," Janus mummer, glaring daggers at the woman.

She took it all in stride. It was disappointing to see the man surrender so quickly and using his rage in a threatening way with his gaze. A way, that was also hollow. Little did Janus know his training has already begun.

"Why not claim a new scythe?" Bonnie asked, deflecting the subject and in turn, the wizard's gaze.

"I thought the same. What use do I have with a broken scythe that holds no magic anymore? Then I saw in the scythe that I saw in myself. Disenchanted and broken," Janus paused and took his staff in hand, showing the sorceress that he also varnish the wood and flawlessly at that. "Not just that but this weapon, Charon's Scythe, been with me through many trials, many battles. I… just can't part with it."

The sorceress nodded all through it. Both were honest explanations where the wizard shown a glimmer of emotions that were obscured by a sense of pride. Such a balance was difficult to maneuver but she believed it was essential for this one to grow stronger. She always believed pride to be a downfall but it seemed, like every downside, the wizard continued to find away to turn it into an advantage. He needed to walk that tightrope of humility and pride for what she had planned for him.

"About the training—"

"Do you always jump subjects like a frog?"

"—you need to focus on your element."

Janus took a step back and sneered. Of course he had to focus on his element; it was the first rule when learning magical techniques. But after many hours of focusing on the shadows within himself, he finally watched helplessly as his magic blinked out. Shadow was forever out of his grasp.

"Save your training for it'll do no good to one who has no magic."

"Foolish apprentice. To become a 'Magus,' you better start wising up. Think about it. Would I waste my time to ever say I will train you unless I can?" Bonnie snapped and the sudden outburst cause Janus to backpedal.

He quickly regained his composure. He hated to admit it, she was right. What would the point be in talking about training if training can't be done? Then he realized this sorceress knew something about him that he did not. Something that could help him grow stronger.

"What element should I focus on?" the wizard asked as gently as his irritable temper would allow. Bonnie sighed and rose from her seat.

"To be wise, you must find answers on your own and besides," she turned and walked off, "you should already know that answer but I assure you, it isn't shadow."

How quickly Janus's eye began to twitch as he was about to explode with rage. But as the spark quickly ignited the inferno, it played itself out equally as quick. He had much to reflect upon, especially if the Mystic spoke truthfully. As he thought of reflecting upon his position, it came to the wizard to look into a mirror, attempting to use his poor wizard's sight and see what halo he had.

Anyone with the gift of magic could, with training, learn to look within each individual and see what element a person had even if they don't use magic. This foresight had helped wizards find weak points in their opponents as they learn what dominate element coursed through the enemy's spirit. The wizard's sight, one had to look at an individual then look through them, pass them, seeing a glow of a specific color surrounding them. That would be their halo.

Such a feat though could have proven to be a great advantage for the wizard, just seemed too damn difficult. It took him minutes to focus and in battle, one didn't have minutes. What annoyed Janus the most; he just couldn't do any better.

But he was confident that he can still look into a mirror and see his own halo. It would take awhile but he had the time to see. However, whenever he focused, he stopped. What if he didn't like the color, the element, he saw? But such fears soon became below him. Growling away the weakness, the prince focus on his face and then through it, into his very soul, assuming he had one. Many minutes passed and the wizard saw nothing but his own reflection, blurry as it was since he hasn't blinked.

More minutes passed and the dull ache was too much for Janus. Breaking the gaze, the wizard blinked, feeling tears in his eyes. He couldn't call forth tears any other way. Once his eyes were moistened, he turned to the mirror again and blinked a few more times. His image was still blurry.

No, not blurry the prince realized. It was hazed. He was seeing his halo. With his skin and hair it was difficult to notice the halo but without a doubt, he saw his dominate element and he indeed did not like what he saw.

The halo was white.

"He could make a mighty warrior," Tyz mumbled perhaps the hundredth time this day to his lord.

"To what end?" King Orion asked, humoring his general.

"He could be the best! With him, we could flatten the whole Guardia cavalry or all of Zeal's leaping dragoons," Tyz stated, gaining as much momentum as he could. But soon Orion had his hand up to cease his general from continuing, for he too, came to the same conclusion as Bonnie had.

"Would he and you, together than, annihilate Noah?"

The warrior bit his lower lip at that. Perhaps if the white wizard and he did learn to dance in harmony with their weapons, they could render entire armies useless. However, he knew that Noah was beyond him and any two or ten master warriors together would be child's play to the wind mage.

"Reports from our spy network states that the Zealian did just appear out of nowhere but he was not alone," the general began, changing the subject to more important matters.

"Go on."

"All we really know for certain is that this 'Magus' and another named Crono have a large bounty on their heads. Only the underground knows this. Seems Noah wants them dead but don't want their identities publicized," Tyz finished, watching his lord nodding in concurrence.

But the king was nodding more towards that he made the right judgment bringing the Zealian into his folds. The enemy of his enemy was his friend and if Noah wanted this particular Zealian killed, than he was indeed a threat to the untouchable wind mage. The only thing that gave Orion pause was the second man. Where was he and how to use him to the Mystic's advantage?

"Tyz, I wish for you to hire some spies in Zeal to find this… 'Crono.' The more we have on these two, the better our understanding," Orion commanded.

The general bowed and left, eager to please his king, even with such a pathetic mission.

It was hard for her to watch her fire mages, a group of snake females called naga-ettes with the torso of a woman and the lower body of a snake, having difficulties with their magic. The small group of seven has shown much potential of being great fire mages. But try as they may, they couldn't light a spark, let alone hold a ball of flames in their hand.

"You girls need to concentrate more. Look at your hand and picture the flame," Bonnie instructed to her students.

All seven nodded and lifted their palms, visualizing a ball of fire. They thought of blistering flames and waving heat. Nothing. The naga-ette's continued to focus and hard at their hands, hoping for a little fire. They would've been staring at their hands all night if need be, if not for the sharp interruption.

"You call yourself a sorceress? Teaching patience and focus is well and good but it's far too slow for my taste," the self-sure prince mocked, entering the stone room. "This is where you've been hiding for these past few days. I've been looking for you, Bonnie."

"I haven't the time at the moment, apprentice," and with that, the sorceress put him out of her mind and dismissed his presents by turning her back to him and to address her students.

Janus scowled once he heard 'apprentice' again and sneered at the superiority in Bonnie's tone. The sneer became a growl as he saw she completely ignored him. He was a mighty wizard, even without his shadow magic and to treat him as a lowly beginner was infuriating. But his short temper soon cooled. He knew that Bonnie was just annoying him, wanting him to give into his anger and defeat himself before any argument would begin. Janus tried a different tact.

"Stand aside, _Mystic,_" Janus commanded, moving in front of the sorceress. Bonnie, always slow to anger, flinched at being called a Mystic by a Zealian. It was also the demeaning tone in which he said it in that had her counting to ten. In the past, she would've killed for such a remark but now, she was more curious than angry with the white mage.

"All right _students_. I want you to take everything Miss Bonnie taught you…" he paused, crinkling up some paper and throwing it over his shoulder. "…and toss it away."

The wizard had the naga-ettes attention but they didn't make a move. They had no idea who this was but one thing was certain. He was Zealian and they would not listen to such a being. They rather destroy it.

"Listen to my apprentice ladies. Our lord had ordered him to teach you."

Janus flinched at the lie. Even though it was a lie, he didn't like someone claiming he was ordered to do anything. However, he let it slide as the naga-ettes were nodding and turning their gaze at him with a more open of mind. Or they thought him a traitor. It didn't matter to the prince either way.

"Alright. Hand in the air," he commanded, shoving his own hand in front of him. They complied.

"Now, to call forth magic especially that of fire, you mustn't think and concentrate. You must _feel _it, _will_ it out. Find an emotion, one of burning desire or hot hatred and hold onto it, embrace it," the prince said, watching each snake woman focusing on what he just instructed. Still, nothing happened but the prince was satisfied by the first step.

"Now, take that desire or hatred and summon it. Force you power to spin on itself and push it forth into a single area," Janus paused, igniting his on palm with a ball of fire.

A ball from a naga-ette bathed the room with more light, joining Janus's fire. Then another and another. Soon, all seven were holding a ball of fire. One in particular, caught the wizard's attention. Though this was an exercise to manipulate one's fire magic, a single glance at the fireball from a snake woman told Janus she could level the entire room. While the other's held a ball, roughly the size of a volleyball, one of them held a ball in a four foot diameter in her hand.

Such a feat he never saw before and from a beginner, it was amazing. Indeed, the prince was impressed and he didn't bother aiding that fact from his features. He closed his hand and snuffed out his fireball. No fire mage, not even Lucca, could summon such a ball.

"You. How are you doing that?"

"You told us to feel either desire or hatred when willing the power out did you not?" the naga-ette smirked. Janus nodded.

"Well, I felt a desirable hatred to kill you and I held onto it."

Janus scowled at the impudent Mystic. She did well in hiding her fear. It was a threat if there ever was one but she was a beginner and this was her first taste of magic. She had no idea what to do with the giant ball and if the Zealian, masters of magic as they were, decided to use her magic against her, she knew she couldn't stop him. Her shoulders relaxed their tension as the wizard laughed.

"Very, very good. Personally, I don't care how you feel towards me but if that is the only way to obtain your own goals, so be it," Janus smiled as everyone closed their fists and got rid of their own balls. The naga-ette with the huge fireball soon had her eyes rolling back into her head and soon fainted. Calling forth such power all at once was taxing on the body and without the emotion as a focus point, the giant ball of flames puffed out. The other six began attending their unconscious sister.

"Thank you, apprentice," Bonnie gently said but Janus still flinched. "That'll be all for today. Please come back tomorrow as I shall inform you of the drawbacks of using magic in such a way."

The naga-ettes left soon after, leaving the sorceress and wizard locking stares at the other. Neither knew what to make of the other or what to feel. To Janus, the sorceress was annoying and he hated her dearly, however, he understood her more than he cared to admit. She was the most powerful wizard in Mysteria and she held her power in check. She was skilled, Janus believed, in understanding magic, far more than he. Bonnie, on the other hand, both admire the wizard's strength and hated his attitude. Being a Zealian didn't help matters any. Still, she believed he was more than he appeared. In fact, she knew he was.

"Teaching of emotion in spells is chaotic," Bonnie said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Fire is supposed to be chaotic," Janus countered.

Bonnie was stunned by the simple, yet true statement. Fire has always been unstable and to control it was an understatement. It is protective, dangerous and instantaneous. To "control" it was an impossibility. You could only use it and hope for the best.

"I've seen my halo and though you told me to find my own answers, I refuse to believe the answers given. If my element truly is white, than you have lied to me, given me false hope," the wizard passively said.

"You are right about your halo but are wrong about me lying to you."

"I AM A BLASTED LIGHT WIZARD!" Janus cursed, screaming at the top of his lungs. So mighty were his words, backed up by his raw magic, Bonnie hat to clamp her hands over her ears.

The price couldn't believe it but couldn't refute it. Living all his life with the dark arts, giving up his heart and any sense of compassion, lavishing with the Black Wind… how in the name of the void could he be a light mage? After much time of contemplation, Janus realized that perhaps the Black Wind suppressed his powers of light and it was no surprise he had the magic. Schala did. Still…

"The magic of light is not powerful. How can I kill Noah with such weak powers?"

Janus choked back the last word as he saw the dark orbs of Bonnie's eyes burrowing through him. He didn't understand why she was so angry. He was the one whose life of battles was over. Janus tried to appear unfazed but the sorceress's glare did not leave him, not for a moment.

"I will NEVER call you Magus if you are so stupid not to see the blessing of the strength of such a gift that you have."

"Light isn't used for attacking!" Janus roared, gaining some strength in defending himself with his own anger. "I have no need of such magic."

"FOOL! Ever the fool!" Bonnie yelled back, coming up to stand right at the wizard but her voice was now but a whisper, which scared the wizard all the more. "Anyone can kill. A Guardian, a Zealian, a Mystic, a beast, or even the earth can kill. That… is not power. True power is having skills beyond what anyone can do. Anyone can kill but not anyone can give life. You are blessed with the power that is beyond death itself. If you can't understand that, than you are less of a man that _I_ even gave you credit for."

Her words flown from her lips like wine and so intoxicating as he was by them, Janus didn't know he was now alone. Janus calmed his rising fears and anger, contemplating those words. Never once did the wizard thought Schala weak but she was of the light. He knew, at that moment, it was a time for a change, if he liked it or not. Taking out Schala's pendant from around his neck, the prince gazed into the smooth blue surface and wondered.


End file.
